Pumpkin and Freekeh Salad
Serves: 4
Time: 50 mins
Freekeh is one of my favourite grains, but it has to be whole grain; I find the cracked stuff goes too mushy for my liking. Tonight’s dinner is a very simple dish, the veggies are just plain roasted and there is no dressing with the freekeh. The rest of the week has been very full of flavour, so simple was the feeling for tonight.
Leftovers
Lunch tomorrow is exactly the same. Make sure to keep in an airtight container so the freekeh will keep better.
Leftover Herbs
Salads like this are a perfect place to use up any leftover herbs or leafy greens.
What you'll need
1 cup of whole grain freekeh
1/4 Jap pumpkin
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cauliflower
1 bunch of baby carrots
2 bunches of broccolini
1/4 bunch of fresh thyme
From the pantry
olive oil
salt and pepper
Prep and Cook
Preheat oven to 200c
Cook Freekeh
Place one cup of freekeh in a pot with 3 cups of cold water and a pinch of salt.
Bring up to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer gently with a lid on until all the liquid has gone.
Set aside with the lid still on.
Roast Veg
Peel the sweet potato and cut into large chunks.
Peel the skin off the pumpkin and remove the seeds, then chop into chunks a touch larger than the sweet potatoes.
Cut cauliflower into large florets.
Chop the woody ends off the broccolini.
Trim the stalks off the baby carrots.
Finely chop thyme.
Toss everything together in a large mixing bowl with salt and pepper and spread out on an oven tray lined with baking paper to roast for 40 minutes.
Plate it Pretty
The simplest salads with the minimalist effort often look the best. I serve this one in a large platter because I think it looks grander when presented that way, and then we just rough it, and eat out of the bowl.
Toss all ingredients together and then use your hands to loosely pile the bowl up; you get better control of placement that way so you can move individual bits of veg around for styling contrast.
Enjoy!
Lunch Tomorrow
Lunch tomorrow is exactly the same as dinner, you could give it a quick heat in the microwave to take off the chill but I’m a big fan of cold roasted veg so as is, is perfect.