Roasted Cauliflower & Lentil salad pot
Serves 1
I came up with this great lunch-to-go when I had a bunch of leftovers in my fridge. I threw them altogether and this delicious salad pot was invented! I just happened to have cooked puy lentils and quinoa left over — but you can buy good quality pre-cooked pouches of both that are really handy to just keep in your cupboard for those inevitable manic days.
Since the Turmeric Sauce is layered at the bottom, it can even be made the night before and just tipped upside down when you’re ready to eat it, or taken for a lunch on the move. I tend to shy away from salads for lunch, especially without animal proteins in, as I fear they won’t be filling enough, but this one certainly is. And to top it off, it provides a whopping 83% and 71% of my daily requirements for Vitamin C and Vitamin A respectively, so is great to have when you are feeling run down and need an immune system boost. It is literally a rainbow in a pot providing a massive 6 vegetables (note, the lentils also count towards your five-a-day!) in one portion.
INGREDIENTS
· 1/4 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
· 1/3 cup Cauliflower
· 1 cup Raw Spinach
· 1/2 cup Cooked Puy Lentils
· 1/4 cup Raw Peas
· 1/3 cup Raw Cherry Tomatoes
· 1/3 cup Shelled Edamame Beans
· 1/4 cup Cooked Quinoa
For the turmeric sauce
· 6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· Juice from 1 Lemon
· 2 tsp Brown Rice Syrup
· 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
· 50 g Turmeric Root
· 30 g Light Tahini
· Black pepper to help the absorption of Turmeric
METHOD
For the salad
· Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees
· Toss cauliflower in the oil, season with a pinch on himalayan salt & pepper, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of a herb of your choice (I prefer paprika). Roast for 30 mins or until browning slightly. Set aside and allow to cool.
For the turmeric sauce (makes 9 tbsp)
· 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.
· Spread 1/2–1 tbsp of turmeric sauce at the bottom of a glass jar.
· Then start layering up — quinoa, peas, tomatoes, puy lentils, edamame, spinach and roast cauliflower — enjoy!
Nutritional Information
Calories — 429
Carbohydrates — 53g
Fat — 16g
Protein — 20g
Fibre — 11g