Salads are kind of my thing.
You could say that I have become known for them. Personally and professionally.
Except that to me a salad is not quite a salad.
Many years ago, this recipe is where my wholefoods journey started (and is still happily residing.)
Simple, delicious & nutritious elements thrown together in no time at all.
As I looked to increase the amount of real food in my life, especially vegetables, feel satisfied, nourished and energised from what I was eating and do it all whilst working 7 days a week - this entered my world.
It honoured one of my top 5 principles of living a wholefoods lifestyle with ease and it was simple and delicious too!
PREPARATION.
When I say throw together, that's precisely what I mean.
Utilising pre-prepared foods, combining with fresh ones and sitting down to eat in minutes!
I absolutely love eating this way and do it 90% of the time.
Ensuring the prepped items are ready takes this recipe for instance, from 70 minutes to just 5 minutes.
Amazing right?
Better yet the elements of the salad that you've ideally pre-prepared, work in countless other ways and with other meals.
Quinoa - in everything!
Baked pumpkin - in hot/cold meals to add lovely complex and filling carbohydrates.
Eggs - for quick workday snacks or to enjoy on toast in the morning.
Make more than the recipe calls for and enjoy these elements in a variety of delicious ways. You'll never regret this idea.
Be inspired to work with the seasons and make this recipe your own, a little more of this and a little more of that – get creative!
- 1⁄2 butternut pumpkin
- 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 cup quinoa
- 1-2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons raw, shelled
pistachios - 1⁄2 cup red cabbage
- 1⁄2 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
leaves - 2 tablespoons fresh coriander
leaves - 1⁄4 avocado
- Few thin rings red onion
- 1⁄4 cup alfalfa or snowpea sprouts
- 2 tablespoons fetta
- 3⁄4 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees (electric)
- Peel pumpkin, remove insides and chop into 5cm-size pieces
- In a large baking tray, add pumpkin, oil and salt
- Coat well and bake for 40 minutes
- Shake the tray and bake for a remaining 30 minutes
- Reserve 1⁄2 cup, allow to cool and store remaining quantity in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days
- Bring quinoa and 1⁄2 cup water to the boil in a saucepan on med-high heat
- Cook for 15 minutes or until water is cooked off and quinoa is fluffy, set aside
- Whilst quinoa is cooking, bring water in a small saucepan to the boil
- Add eggs, cook for 8 minutes (semi-hard boiled)
- Once cooked, place immediately in an ice bath
- Leave for 2 minutes before peeling and set aside
- In a frypan, toast pistachios for a few minutes on med-high heat (optional, otherwise use raw)
- Chop roughly, set aside
- Finely shred cabbage
- Wash and halve tomatoes
- Finely chop herbs and slice avocado
- Combine all ingredients, coating well with oil to serve
- Season to taste
