Chickpea and squash salad
This recipe from Deliciously Ella Every Day is one of my favourite salads to make. Everyone I've ever made it for scarfs it down in giant mouthfuls because it's just that delicious. Hot and tender roasted butternut squash, crispy chilli chickpeas, peppery rocket leaves, flavour-packed bites of sundried tomato and a sweet and tangy dressing. This is best when the squash and chickpeas are still hot from the oven. If it's been another cold and grey October day, sit down with a bowl of this warm salad and let these deep flavours and bright colours revive you.
I've always indulged in a very specific form of retail therapy: books. My parents started giving me an allowance when I started sixth form. Every time I had a bad day, I'd step out of school and walk to the bookstore near my bus stop. Looking at all the books on the shelves, I'd finally be able to release any anxiety or worry I'd been holding inside. I was in my element, I could breathe. After pretty much breezing through school, I found sixth form pretty difficult to adjust to, despite making some amazing friends. But I had a lot of books :)
I couldn't afford cookbooks at the time (I swear they were way more expensive back then) but I started treating myself to a few here and there at university, and then all the time when I started working in publishing. I read and bought fiction on the regular but cookbooks were for tough days, for the I-deserve-a-treat days. I now have a lot of cookbooks haha so I've decided to start featuring recipes from my cookbook collection on this blog once a week. I'm thinking Mondays or Wednesdays. Mondays are always rough and as for Wednesdays, well, you've earned a treat by hump day.
Ella Mills, of Deliciously Ella fame, has gotten as much flak as she has love for her alternative, plant-based recipes. I think we all find different paths to health and balance in our lives, and she's simply shared hers. While I admit I do steer clear of her sweet recipes, she has some lovely savoury recipes and this is definitely one of them. I love finding new ways to make vegetables interesting and here is a combination of flavours I wouldn't have put together myself. Try it and let me know what you think. This might just be your new favourite salad.
Chickpea and squash salad
Recipe from Deliciously Ella Every Day. Serves 1.
INGREDIENTS
For the salad
- 120g chunks of butternut squash
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, I like the extra heat)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- olive oil
- 80g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 big handful of rocket (30g)
- 40g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon honey
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C).
Peel the squash, then cut it into small bite-sized pieces*. Place on a baking tray with the paprika, mixed herbs, a little salt and a good drizzle of olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes, until tender.
Place the chickpeas on a separate baking tray with the chilli powder and a good pinch or two of salt. Toss well to coat and bake for 20 minutes, until they’re firm but not too crunchy.
Mix all the dressing ingredients together.
Once the chickpeas and squash have cooked and cooled, mix them with the rocket and sun-dried tomatoes, then pour on the dressing and toss everything together. Check for seasoning and serve immediately.
Notes: I am usually too lazy to cut and peel a whole butternut squash just for me...or even for my friends haha. Luckily, Sainsbury's (and I'm sure other supermarkets) do little individual packs of chopped butternut squash and sweet potato. If you don't like butternut squash, substitute with an equal amount of sweet potato. Yum!
