Three weeks into 2016 and we’re starting to struggle with the sudden snap of freezing cold weather, lack of sunlight and self-imposed resolutions. And let’s not even mention Dry January…
But help is at hand thanks to PROPERCORN, who have collaborated with renowned US scientist Judith Wurtman PhD to create a lunch specifically designed to boost your mood.
A vibrant twist on a Cobb salad, this recipe is packed full of colourful, nutritious ingredients, designed to banish the winter blues. You can either try to whizz up this delicious concoction yourself, or order one from food delivery service Karma Cans complete with a side of PROPERCORN’S Smooth Peanut and Almond Popcorn.
Roasted corn, sweet potato noodle and avocado salad with toasted buckwheat dukkha
Serves 2
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
Dukkah
(Makes 8 servings- store leftovers in a jar for up to a month)
1.5 tbsp. black rice
½ tbsp. buckwheat
½ tbsp. hemp seeds
½ tbsp. pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp. walnuts
1 ½ tbsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1tsp cumin
Salt and pepper
Dressing
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1tsp water
Salt
Black pepper
1 small clove of garlic, grated
2 basil leaves, 2 coriander leaves, 2 parsley leaves, chopped
Salad
1 red pepper, sliced thickly
8 cherry tomatoes
1 corn on the cob
1 small orange sweet potato, spiralized (approx. 300g)
½ ready to eat avocado
½ spring onion, finely sliced
6 handfuls curly kale
Zest and juice of a lemon
30g Parmesan
2 pinch chilli flakes
½ tsp grated garlic
10 coriander stems, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper
To make the dukkah
1. Heat a flat, heavy bottomed pan over a low heat, add the black rice, cover for 15 minutes, shaking every few minutes until the rice starts to pop. Remove the rice, turn the heat up slightly and add the buckwheat.
2. Stir the buckwheat continuously over the heat for around 10 minutes, until the kernels crackle, pop and go brown.
3. Place the seeds in an oven tray and bake for 7 minutes at 180C Fan.
4. With a pestle and mortar, grind the cooked rice to a fine powder. Add buckwheat, seeds and all the other ingredients, and grind so they are broken up but not powdered.
To make the dressing:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
To make the salad:
1. Preheat the oven to 170C Fan.
2. Toss the spiralised sweet potato in olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Prick the tomatoes and place with the peppers and sweet potato on a lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, until the potato begins to change colour.
4. Remove from the oven and put the potato to one side. Toss tomatoes and peppers in 1 tbsp of oil and the vinegar and bake for a further 30 minutes until soft and golden brown.
5. Boil the corn in a medium sized pot of water for 7-10 minutes until soft and yellow. Boil the kale in the same water for 1 minute until just soft.
6. Drain and brush corn with a teaspoon of oil and dust with a little salt. Place corn onto a heated griddle, rotating for about a minute, until lightly brown on all sides. Remove from the heat and slice kernels off the cob into a large salad bowl.
7. Whilst still warm, add a dash of olive oil, ½ the lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste and mix with the roasted tomato, peppers and any juices leftover from roasting. Add ½ the grated Parmesan.
8. Turn the oven to up 200C Fan.
9. Dress the sweet potato in the rest of the Parmesan, olive oil, chilli flakes and a pinch of pepper and return to the oven for 5 minutes to crisp slightly. Remove from the oven and add the remaining lemon zest while the noodles are hot.
10. Slice the avocado lengthways into three slices. Marinate in salt and lemon juice. Plate the kale and spoon on the tomatoes, peppers, sweet potato and avocado. Top with the dukkah, spring onion, coriander and dressing.
