It might just be me, but it feels like I haven’t made a salad recipe in the longest time on here! I’m a huge salad fan but they do stereotypically tend to be more of a Summer themed recipe and I don’t think that it’s the kind of dish that people reach for on those colder nights when you’re after something a little more hearty and filling. In my opinion, salad can definitely be these things.. you just gotta’ get a little bit more adventurous and creative about it. We’re not talking limp little salad leaves and a few lonely croutons here!
This dish is packed with so many different flavour and texture, as well as being a complete veggie powerhouse! When building a salad bowl, I like to make sure that I’m incorporating a wide variety of different nutrients and colours into my bowl. The contrast between the savoury, salty flavours from the olives and sweet bursts from the cranberries and pomegranate seeds compliment each other so well here and taste just delicious! For me, this salad is the perfect winter lunch time dish or side dish to serve at a dinner party or buffet! You’ve got those classic festive colours with the red and green.. and of course, you can’t really have a Christmas dish without sprouts now can you!?
This recipe is also completely plant based and is a really easy way to make sure you’re getting a good handful of vitamins and minerals into your meal without really having to think about it! Another thing that I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned yet is THE DRESSING. Like, seriously guys, tahini salad dressings are definitely my thing. I actually never used to like tahini once upon a time.. but I think it was just doing it all wrong. Firstly, I personally would recommend trying light tahini first, as this is a little bit less bitter. Also, probably wouldn’t advocate serving it on it’s own of you’re new to the stuff.. but trying it in this dressing is a great way to get started! Its
Winter Rainbow Olive & Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large handfuls kale
- 100 g brussel sprouts
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1/2 vegetable stock cube
- Handful pomegranate seeds
- Handful dried cranberries
- 100 g shredded red cabbage
- 100 g shredded carrot
- Handful Fragata Green Olives
- Lemon juice
- Tsp olive oil
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
- 1 clove garlic
- Dressing:
- 2 tbsp light tahini
- Juice from half a lemon
- Tbsp olive oil
- Tbsp honey
- 1 small clove garlic- crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Water
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the packet and add the stock cube into the water to add flavour.
- Peel and slice the sprouts in half and add these into a frying pan with a little of olive oil and crush in the garlic. Saute these until nice and crispy and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the kale and drizzle over a little olive oil and lemon juice and massage this into the kale. Add in the shredded cabbage, carrots and cooked brussels and toss everything together.
- Slice some of the olives in half and leaving the rest whole, add these into the salad mixture with the cranberries and pom seeds. Give everything a good mix and serve into bowls.
- To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients, then gradually add in a drizzle of water whist mixing, until you reach the desired consistency.
