ROAST PUMPKIN AND CHICKPEA SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING BY ANDREA LOVE
Andrea Love of Eatnik Food is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and nutritionist, recipe developer and food photographer from Brisbane, Australia.
Andrea is a self-taught home cook and loves to create food that makes people happy, whether it be wholesome or indulgent (or a little bit of both). Eatnik is her space to share her recipes that she hopes others will feel inspired to recreate themselves at home.
She believes that food is wonderful and has the ability to bring nothing but enjoyment to every aspect of life. It is social, artistic and creative just as much as it is sustenance – combine it with a healthy mind and lifestyle and you dramatically improve quality of life.
Follow Andrea Love of Eatnik Food on Instagram or Facebook @eatnikfood.
Ingredients
1kg Kent pumpkin
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
60g (1/2 cup) pistachios
100g crumbly feta
200g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g baby spinach
Pickled onions
Pickled Red Onions:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp castor sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing:
1/3 cup tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1–2 tbsp maple syrup
3–6 tbsp cool water
Method
To make pickled onions, whisk together first four ingredients in a bowl. Pour over sliced red onions and leave for minimum one hour. You can place onions and liquid in a sterilised jar and into the fridge if you are pickling for more than an hour.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Scoop out the seeds of your pumpkin. Leave skin on. Cut into one centimetre slices and place on prepared tray. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and toss to coat. Roast for 40 minutes until soft. Once cooked, remove and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, place pistachios into a dry fry pan over a medium to high heat. Toast for five minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool before roughly chopping.
To make the dressing: whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Add water slowly, whisking in between each addition until dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
To assemble salad: in a large bowl (or four individual plates), layer baby spinach with roasted and cooled pumpkin, chickpeas, chopped pistachios, crumbled feta and pickled onions. Drizzle with tahini dressing and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
