Rainbow Layered Salad Jar

Serves 1 

Why hello there!  I am finally back in London after a truly wonderful long family vacation where I spent all day, every day makeup-free and barefoot - fishing, swimming, sailing and sandcastle making.  If that doesn’t restore my soul then I don’t know what does!  It felt so darn good to switch off my ever-whirring brain and load up with Vitamin D, ready to fight the upcoming winter months head on.  I have suffered quite badly with S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) since I was a child and I am desperate to try to cling on to my carefree holiday-mindset for as long as I possibly can now that I have returned home to the hustle and bustle of city life. (And if anyone has any tips to help ease their SAD then please please let me know!)

We arrived back yesterday after a long and gruelling overnight journey with a whopping seven loads of dirty washing to tend to, and since I still have both kids off school, there is simply no time for fancy cooking. Plus, I may or may not have overindulged sllliiightly on both the food and alcohol front during my holiday (translation: I ate my body weight in fried chicken and drank more mescal cocktails than you can shake a stick at), so I just need something quick, easy and as nutrient dense as possible. Cue this make-ahead healthy 6-veggie layered salad that only takes 5 minutes to prepare!  It is a wonderful batch-cooking option that stores well in the fridge for several days.

It is loaded with some great sources of plant-based protein (in the form of puy lentils and edamame), some whole-grain quinoa for slow release energy, some gut-loving probiotic sauerkraut and a ton of antioxidants from all of the different brightly coloured veggies (did you know that the puy lentils themselves actually count towards your five-a-day?). It is then topped off with the most delicious turmeric tahini dressing you’ve ever tasted. I use it on everything – from salads to steamed veggies, from crudités to just eating it straight outta the jar!

INGREDIENTS

For the Salad

·     Big Handful of fresh Watercress (or greens of your choice)
·     100g Pre-cooked Puy Lentils (I used Merchant Gourmet)
·     100g Pre-cooked Quinoa (I used Merchant Gourmet)
·     50g Peas
·     75g Cherry Tomatoes
·     50g Shelled Edamame Beans (I used frozen)
·     1 Carrot
·     Big dollop of pro-biotic Sauerkraut (I used Beetroot and Red Cabbage)

For the Turmeric sauce

·     6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
·     Juice & Zest from 1 Large Lemon
·     2 tsp Brown Rice Syrup/Maple Syrup
·     1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
·     50g fresh Turmeric Root
·     30g Light Tahini
·     Fresh Black pepper to help the absorption of Turmeric
·     Water to thin as desired

METHOD

For the salad

·     Defrost the peas and edamame in some boiling water (no need to actually boil, just let them sit in the hot water for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad).
·     Halve the tomatoes and slice the carrot (I used a peeler to make v v thin strips, or else spiralise).
·     Assemble the salad and enjoy!

For the Turmeric sauce (makes approx 150ml)

·      Peel the turmeric and drop onto a running blade in a high-speed blender.
·      Stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula so that the turmeric is at the bottom.
·      Add all of the remaining ingredients and blitz.
·      Store in an airtight glass jar in the fridge — it will keep for 3 weeks.