Vegetables don’t always have to be the side dish. You can create wholesome, healthy, vitamin- and mineral-rich meals with just veggies on your plate. We share three delicious and nutritious recipes.
Cauliflower couscous salad
- 1 small head cauliflower, broken into chunks (6-7 cups)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
For the dressing
- 6 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 tbsps freshly squeezed orange juice (1-2 oranges)
- 3 tbsps apple cider vinegar
- 1-½ tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Put the cauliflower into a food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower looks like couscous (small bits but not mushy). Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the dried cranberries, dried apricots, and green onions.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a jar with a fitted lid, or a bowl. Shake or whisk to combine.
- Pour half of the dressing over the salad; then toss to mix. Taste; then add more dressing, if necessary.
- Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for about one day before serving.
Roasted, stuffed butternut squash
Ingredients
- 20g dried mushrooms
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 rosemary sprigs (leaves only)
- 5 sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 100g basmati rice, cooked
- 100g pine nuts, lightly toasted
Method
- Soak the mushrooms for 5 minutes in 140ml of boiling water. Preheat your oven to 230˚
- Cut the butternut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh with a teaspoon. Chop the flesh finely with a knife.
- In a frying pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Now add the squash flesh, onion, rosemary, sundried tomatoes and coriander.
- Cook for 4 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the mushrooms and half of their water. Cook for another 2 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the rice and pine nuts.
- Fill the two squash halves with the stuffing (press it in tightly). Stick the two halves back together.
- Coat the skin with olive oil and wrap in aluminium foil.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Spinach and sweet potato salad
Ingredients
- 800g sweet potato
- 200g red bell pepper
- 150g baby spinach
- ½ cup almonds, toasted
For the dressing
- 3 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsps honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Peel and then cut the sweet potato into 2cm cubes. Coat them in olive oil and bake in the oven at 180˚C for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
- Cut the bell pepper into 2cm-wide strips and brush with a little olive oil. Roast or grill for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until chargrilled.
- Crush and lightly toast the almonds, either in a non-stick pan, or in the oven on a lined baking tray at 180˚C for 5 minutes.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients.
- Make a bed of baby spinach leaves and top with the sweet potato, roasted bell pepper and almonds. Drizzle with the homemade dressing.