This salad is loaded with goodness!

I’m not really sure on the name for the pumpkin, its not a butternut squash, its a kabocha – Japanese pumpkin in some terms, or winter squash!

A lot of the Salads that I make are kinda combination of bits and pieces I find around the fridge along the way that need using up! I also have quite a few vegetarians to feed.

 

Heres what your going to need to create this for yourself:

1/2 pumpkin of your choice – sliced up into chunky wedges roasted with olive oil, slat pepper and some dried herbs.

1/2 cup cooked quinoa – the instructions for cooking should be  on the packet

1/2 can drained chickpeas – keep the juice make some chocolate mousse!

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

3 handfuls of kale broken up into small bite size pieces massaged with olive oil salt and pepper. (your going to cook these with the pumpkin in the last 8 mins!)

 

So what we are going to do is roast the pumpkin, in the last 8 mins or so of baking add the kale leaves to the tray and bake till just wilted and soft.

Let the pumpkin and kale cool slightly, mix the chickpeas, pomegranate seeds and quinoa in a bowl season with salt and pepper and olive oil along with the juice of half a lemon.

You can also add in some fresh chopped parsley or mint at this point if you would like.

Lay the pumpkin and kale out on a serving platter then spoon over your quinoa mix now I dressed this beauty with a vegan garlic aioli – a recipe that I got from Rebel Recipes, so you will have to go and find her website for that recipe.

If your not vegan however you can add your own version of garlic aioli, or your favourite dressing.

I garnished this with some pea tendrils – just use whatever fresh herbs that you have on hand.

 

Enjoy

Please get in touch any questions, comments or otherwise.

Love Cupcake xx