Winter Sweet Potato Salad

Come winter time, I love to continue to eat salads as leafy greens are in season and I believe nature has given us an abundance of them for a reason (to keep us well through the sneezing season, for more on that click here). However I always ‘warm’ them up by adding cooked vegetables, nuts, seeds and most importantly warming aromatic herbs and spices.

So I give you this Winter Potato Salad as a beautiful, nourishing addition to your winter salad list.

Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many dietary requirements.

Winter Sweet Potato Salad

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Total 30 minutes

Serves: 4

 

5 from 2 votes

One of my all time favourite salads, this Winter Sweet Potato Salad is a nourishing, filling meal. 

Ingredients

• 60-100 g of leafy greens such as watercress (my preference), rocket or baby spinach.
• 2 tablespoons ghee, butter or coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon maple or rice malt syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• Good pinch  sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 1 large sweet potato, diced into approx. 1.5cm chunks (you can peel it or leave the skin on)
• ½ cup raw almonds
• 1 clove garlic, unpeeled

Chickpeas

• 1 tablespoons ghee, butter or coconut oil
• 1 x 425g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 ½ cups  cooked chickpeas)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ground
• Good pinch  sea salt, to taste
• Zest and juice  half a lemon

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon maple or rice malt syrup
• Flesh squeezed from the baked clove of garlic
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180℃.
2. In a small pot combine the ghee, butter or coconut oil, syrup, cinnamon and seasoning over a low heat unit the fat has melted and ingredients combined.
3. Place the sweet potato, almonds and the whole garlic clove in a baking dish and pour over the above mixture, tossing to coat the sweet potato and almonds well. Arrange in a single layer and bake for 20-30 minutes until the sweet potato is just cooked through.
4. Now prepare your chickpeas. Without rinsing the small pot, add the ghee, butter or coconut oil and heat gently to melt. Now add the chickpeas, spices and seasoning and stir over a low heat until you can start to smell the spices (just a few minutes).
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the juice and zest. Set aside.
6. Place you leafy greens in a serving bowl or plate.
7. Once the potato is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
8. Make you dressing by combining the ingredients together well.
9. Just prior to serving, toss the dressing through the leaves to coat and top with the cooled sweet potato, almonds and chickpeas.

Variations

Nut-free

Substitute the almonds with sunflower seeds.

Legume-free

Replace the chickpeas with a cup of cooked quinoa or buckwheat.

Garlic-free

Omit the garlic, there are enough lovely flavours so you won't miss it. 

Fructose-friendly

Choose rice malt syrup as your sweetener.

Make it go further

Add a cup of cooked quinoa, diced or shredded chicken or a can of tuna.

 

I'd love to hear if you like this recipe as much as I do. Post a comment or rate this recipe (which really helps it to reach more people). 

Course: Salad