Summer Superfood Slaw
Serves 2
Delighted to say that these veggies were picked my me and the kids this weekend — there is something quite magical about it! Fresh in season now, this salad contains crunchy beetroot, carrot and courgettes, topped with spelt, a super seed mix and sprouted mung beans with a lemony tahini dressing. It provides 335 calories, 5g of fibre and 11g of plant-based protein. But perhaps more importantly, it provides a massive 108% of my vitamin A requirements, and 25% of my Iron, which is great news for all of you vegans out there.
I always keep a pre-cooked pouch of various wholegrains in my pantry to that I can make a healthy meal in a snap. And this salad is no exception — given that all of the vegetables are raw, it’s just a matter of making the dressing and mixing all of the ingredients together. Any pre-cooked grains works well here — quinoa, faro or freekah are also deliciously nutritious.
Nutrition Info: Beetroot is just coming into season here in the UK and is an excellent source of folic acid. The pigment that gives beetroot its rich purple colour is a phytonutrient called betacyanin and is a powerful antioxidant. Beetroots are also a very rich source of glutamine, which is an amino acid that is essential to the health of the intestinal tract.
INGREDIENTS
For the Salad
· 1 tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
· 1 tbsp Sunflower Seeds
· 1 tbsp Roasted Buckwheat Groats
· 1 Carrots — raw
· 1 Courgette — raw
· 1 Beetroot — raw
· 125g Cooked Spelt
· Handful of fresh sprouts (I used mung bean but any kind will work)
· Handful of fresh Dill
For the dressing
· 1 tbsp dried Dill
· Juice and zest of 1 Lemon
· 30g Light Tahini
· 1 tsp Pomegranate Molasses
· Himalayan Salt
· Fresh Pepper
· Water to thin as desired, but I like mine thick!
METHOD
· Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and combine well.
· Peel the beetroot.
· Chop the dill.
· In a salad bowl, coarsely grate all of the vegetables.
· Add the pre-cooked spelt.
· Sprinkle with the seeds, dill and whatever sprouts you can get your hands on. The sprouts are optional, but really up the nutritional profile of this dish.
· I find it best to use my hands to combine the dressing with the salad, as it is quite thick.
· Garnish with fresh dill and serve.
Note: If you are cooking the spelt yourself — preferably soak overnight, rinse well and cook on a medium heat with 1 part spelt to 3 parts water for 45–60 minutes. Follow instructions on individual packet as some have a quicker cooking time than others.
Nutritional Information
Calories — 335
Carbohydrates — 36g
Fat — 15g
Protein — 11g
Fibre — 5g
Vitamin A — 108%
Vitamin C — 38%
Calcium — 19%
Iron — 25%