Squash, Kale & Quinoa Salad
This Squash, Kale & Quinoa Salad is a fantastic salad for autumn and winter. With roasted squash, chickpeas and a spicy olive oil vinaigrette, it’s packed with antioxidants and plant-based goodness. It’s perfect for weekday lunches and meal prep.
Ingredients
- 400 g butternut squash (3 cups)
- 800 g chickpeas (28oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 180 g quinoa (1 cup)
- 6-7 stalks of kale
- 40 g dried cranberries (¼ cup)
- 30 g pumpkin seeds (¼ cup)
- Handful of Pomegranate seeds
Dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Peel the squash and cut into small cubes. Add to a baking tray with the drained chickpeas. Drizzle with 2 tsp oil, spices add some salt and pepper. Roast for 25 mins, shaking halfway through.
- Whilst the squash is cooking, add the quinoa to a pan with 2 cups (500ml) water. Bring to the boil with the lid on. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for about 14 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.
- Remove the tough stalks from the kale and chops the leaves into small pieces. Heat up 1 tsp of oil in a small frying pan. Add the kale and saute for about 2-3 minutes to soften.
- For the dressing, add all the ingredients to a small jar and shake well to combine.
- Once all the elements are ready, add the quinoa, chickpeas, squash and kale to a large serving bowl. Top with the pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. Scatter over some pomegranate seeds.
- Pour over the dressing and mix well to combine.
Notes
- The nutritional information is based on serving 4 but this will stretch to 6, depending on appetites.
- I like to eat it warm, but it stores well in the fridge for 3-4 days too.
- If you don’t want to cook the kale you can just massage with the oil for a few minutes to soften.
- If preferred, you can leave the skin on the squash. Just extend the cooking time by 5 minutes or so.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 84.1gProtein: 19.2gFat: 20.4gSaturated Fat: 2.7gFiber: 16.3g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!