This may sound simple but—trust me—it’s so much more than it seems. I first made this for a collaboration with a café in London and it was such a hit that I knew I had to share it with you all, too! It is a great simple dinner for one, or you can make a huge bowl of it to serve with friends alongside lots of my Black Bean Burgers.
Serves 1
For the salad
4-ounce chunk of butternut squash
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (I use herbes de Provence)
salt
olive oil
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
big handful of arugula (about 2 ounces)
11/2 ounces drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
For the dressing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 425°F (convection 400°F).
Peel the squash, then cut it into small bite-size pieces. Place on a baking sheet with the paprika, mixed herbs, a little salt and olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes, until tender.
Place the chickpeas on a separate baking sheet with the chili powder, toss well to coat and bake for 20 minutes, until they’re firm but not too crunchy.
Mix all the dressing ingredients together, seasoning with a bit of salt and lots of pepper.
Once the chickpeas and squash have cooked and cooled, mix them with the arugula and sun-dried tomatoes, then pour on the dressing and toss everything together.
Tweak It
If you don’t have any squash, then try using sweet potato instead, it tastes awesome in this.