roast carrot and lentil salad

salads and sides:

Published 5th April 2020

I made this Roast Carrot and Lentil Salad on New Year’s Eve as a bit of a ‘throw together’ type salad and the feedback was exceptional. Everyone raved about it, so I thought it best that I write it up, which is always challenging when the original recipe was made up and not documented. So, last week, I made the salad again from what I could remember and here it is…

Lentils make a great base for a more substantial salad. They are great source of both protein and carbohydrate, as well as providing a good amount of fibre and B vitamins. Lentils and other legumes should be included more regularly in most people’s diets, and are particularly important for those who choose to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet due to their iron, zinc and protein content, nutrients that are often lacking in a vegetarian or vegan diet.

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Lentils are often overlooked as people aren’t always sure how to incorporate them into meals, however, regular consumption of pulses (at least 3 times per week) has actually been shown to decrease the risk of developing certain cancers, particularly, colorectal cancer, due to their high soluble fibre content, which helps to keep the bowels healthy and moving well. Salads, such as this one is a great use for lentils. Other ideas include adding some lentils into a bolognese sauce, making lentil burgers, or adding them to a curry or a stew. There are so many ways to include them regularly into the diet.

The roasted chickpeas add a great crunch to this salad and really break up the texture of the lentils and roast vegetables well. The honey and cumin roasted carrot and pumpkin provide a sweetness and spice, which are complemented by the sweetness of the grapes. If you can’t get red grapes, pomegranate would make a good substitute.

The components of this salad can all be prepared in advance and then assembled just before serving.

Enjoy xx

Ingredients:

8 Dutch carrots, cut into 3cm pieces
2 cups pumpkin, diced into 1-2cm cubes
2 x 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs honey
1 tsp cumin, ground
1 cup du Puy lentils
400g chickpeas, roasted
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved
1/2 cup of each coriander, mint and parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pinenuts, toasted
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp honey

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Place chopped carrots and pumpkin into a bowl and add olive oil, honey and ground cumin. Toss to coat the vegetables then place onto one baking tray and cook for ~40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven when cooked.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and dry well with paper towel or a tea towel. Place in a bowl and drizzle with 1 tbs of olive oil and season with salt a pepper. Place onto the second baking tray and bake for ~45-50 minutes or until dry and crunchy. Remove from the oven when cooked.
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the lentils. Rinse the lentils and drain then add 1 1/2 cups of water. Heat on the stove top and bring to the boil, once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until lentils are tender. Drain and rinse the lentils and allow to cool slightly.
Place the lentils into a large bowl, along with the red onion and the herbs, reserving ~ 1 tbs of herbs for serving, then prepare the dressing by placing all ingredients in a small bowl or jar and mix/shake well to combine. Pour the dressing over the lentils and mix well to combine.
Add the roast vegetables and grapes and gently toss to combine.
Toast the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds in a small frypan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, ~1-2 minutes.
Add half the nut/seed mix and half the roasted chickpeas to the lentils and toss gently to combine.
Top with remaining nut/seed mix and chickpeas, as well as reserved herbs.
Enjoy as a meal on its own or with some grilled chicken, barbecued meat or a piece of fish.