Roasted Kumara (Sweet Potato) and Spinach Salad

I love this salad because it's really easy to make and a tasty side dish or main meal salad with BBQ meats, fish, haloumi or marinated tofu.  My daughters love this as an alternative to potato salad and we usually have it with grilled salmon for dinner or on with vegetable kebabs for a light lunch.  Toasting the pumpkin seeds seems like a faff but it really is worth it because it makes the pumpkin seeds even more tasty.  I've used pinenuts and toasted them instead of the pumpkin seeds, because we didn't have any, and they also worked well in this salad.

1kg sweet potato, peeled

4 Tblsp olive oil

one handful of pumpkin seeds

150g baby spinach

200g roasted red pepper, cut into strips

1 Tblsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Dice the sweet potato into 2cm cubes. Combine the sweet potato and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat in the oil.  Put the sweet potato in a single layer on the prepared tray.  Roast the sweet potato for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and tender.  Set aside for a while to cool down.

Whilst the sweet potato is cooling, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the pumpkin seeds to the frying pan and then cook, shaking the pan, for about 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Allow the pumpkin seeds to cool whilst you make the dressing.

Arrange the spinach on a platter. Top with the cooled roasted sweet potato and chopped roasted red pepper.  Whisk the white vinegar, dijon mustard, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and salt and pepper (to taste) in a jug until well combined.  Drizzle dressing over the entire salad and sprinkle over the toasted pumpkin seeds before you serve.

1 comment Dinners, Lunches, Salad, Vegetarian