Pumpkin & Lentil Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
This week I present to you a salad inspired by a dear friend in the UK. I fell in love with this recipe after the first bite, it’s colorful and healthy but has 2 nutrition stars which often are overlooked. Kale and Tahini.
Kale once massaged or wilted is delicious and is packed full of Vitamin K which assists in wound clotting and aids in strengthening bones. The thing with Vitmain K is it isa fat soluble vitamin, which means this vitamin works best when paired with a healthy fat.
Which is where tahini comes in. Tahini comes from ground sesame seeds and provides this dish with healthy fats and also a good punch of calcium. Another vitamin that works to give bones their strength and structure.
The best part of this dish is that you can make it ahead and serve it warm or cold so it’s perfect for these up and down Spring Sydney days!
Ingredients (Serves 4-6as a side)
Ingredients Dressing
- 1 tbsp tahini
- Juice ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup water?
- ½ tsp salt?
Ingredients Salad
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups water (for rice)
- 1 can lentils, drained and rinsed
- 600g pumpkin, peeled and kept into large wedges
- 1/2 – 1 bunch kale, deveined and steamed/boiled for 3 minutes. Drained
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- Seeds of ½ pomegranate or ¼ cup cranberries
- Edible flowers and microherbs
Mix together the dressing ingredients: tahini, lemon juice, salt, maple syrup, mustard. Add water until it becomes the correct consistency. Taste and adjust if needed.
Cook the rice in the rice cooker. Rinse and drain lentils. Steam the kale.
Peel and chop pumpkin, spray with olive oil and bake in the oven for 20-25? minutes on 180oC until soft inside and golden outside. Season.
Layer the salad. Brown rice, then kale, then pumpkin, lentils, dressing in a jar or dressing pot, pumpkin seeds and cranberries. Sprinkle with edible flowers and/or microherbs