When I think about Christmas, I think about this salad! I’m not sure why exactly, but just the combination of flavours makes it the perfect dish to add to any Christmas table. It is so delicious though that you won’t want to reserve it just for one day a year! It’s a great, quick and easy dish that everyone will love. Feel free to also substitute the brown rice for quinoa in this recipe – both work beautifully.
BROWN RICE, PUMPKIN & CRANBERRY SALAD WITH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
Salad:
- 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped with stems removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- a good pinch salt
- ¼ of a large pumpkin chopped into 2cm cubes
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons chopped cranberries
- salt and pepper to taste
Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- a good pinch of salt and black pepper
Method:
Heat the oven to 180ºC.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and a drizzle of olive oil. Place the pumpkin on the tray and sprinkle with salt, paprika and cumin. Toss gently then roast in a moderate oven until the pumpkin is tender and cooked through, toss once or twice whilst roasting to ensure it cooks through properly. When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
For the salad, in a large bowl place the chopped kale, olive oil, lemon and salt. Massage the kale until it begins to wilt down- this makes it more flavoursome and also more digestible.
Add the cool pumpkin, brown rice, pecans and cranberries and mix gently to combine.
To make the dressing, simply add all the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix again to coat evenly.
You are welcome to add any fresh herbs you may like – basil or oregano work perfectly.
This will serve 2 people as a main, or 4 people as a side.
It keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.