Warm up to a hearty roasted vegetable salad
These chilly days between winter and spring make us yearn for hearty soups, not cold salads. But with the right ingredients and a dash of heat, salads can morph into warm comfort food at this time of year.
Instead of romaine or butter lettuce, this winter salad uses peppery arugula and amps up the hearty factor with root vegetables and chickpeas that have been roasted with smoky spices like cumin and paprika. Toasted walnuts add an earthy crunch, and capers and crumbled feta add brightness.
Tie all the ingredients together with a creamy, tangy tahini dressing with a hint of fresh mint. This dressing is so versatile, you can use any extra over grains or even fish. at feastinthemiddleeast.com.
Arugula salad with roasted carrots, chickpeas and tahini honey dressing
INGREDIENTS
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into batons
1/2 cup chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups arugula, washed and stems removed
1 cup chopped radicchio (optional)
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted in a skillet for 3 minutes 2tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Tahini dressing:
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon water, to thin the dressing to desired consistency
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the carrots, chickpeas, olive oil, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper. Then spread the mixture on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes until browned. Meanwhile, place all the tahini dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend to combine, adding water to thin the results to your desired consistency. In a large serving bowl, combine the arugula, radicchio, capers and walnuts. Add warm carrots and chickpeas. Toss to combine with the tahini dressing. Sprinkle the salad with feta and serve immediately.