Lyndey Milan’s spiced chickpea, pumpkin and spinach salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 700g butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut in 2-3cm chunks
- 1 ½ tablespoons (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon (20ml) apple cider vinegar
- Pinch sugar (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 200g baby spinach leaves
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 120g soft goats curd cheese or feta, crumbled
- 1 ¼cups spiced chickpeas
To make 1 ¼ cups spiced chickpeas
- 400 g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon (20ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½-1 teaspoon salt flakes, or to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli powder (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss pumpkin with 2 teaspoons (10ml) of extra virgin olive oil, place on a tray and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining oil with mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl or screw-top jar and shake until well combined or whisk together in a bowl.
3. Place spinach leaves in a bowl, top with onion and cheese and toss gently with the dressing.
4. To serve, individually plate the salad and then top with the pumpkin and spiced chickpeas.
To make 1 ¼ cups of spiced chickpeas
1. In a bowl or plastic bag, toss together the chickpeas, olive oil, paprika, cumin, the 1 teaspoon salt and the cayenne if you want the extra kick of heat
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the chickpeas on a tray and roast until they are golden and slightly crisp, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes for really crisp.