This squash/pumpkin* salad uses a delicata squash which has a thin, edible skin that doesn't require peeling and is easy to chop. Unfortunately I haven't been able to track down that variety of pumpkin in Australia so I use butternut, acorn, or grey (whatever's on sale). However this does mean removing the peel as none of those varieties are thin or edible (that i know of), but that can be done easily once pumpkin is roasted.
*I use the words squash and pumpkin interchangeably throughout this recipe as it is a Canadian recipe (for further info, check out my Canadian-Australian culinary dictionary)
Salad:
2 delicata squash (~2 lbs/900g), halved lengthwise, and seeded**
1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 cup uncooked millet or quinoa
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn into 1-inch pieces
1 diced red onion
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp dried cranberries (unsweetened)
2 tbsp raw or toasted pepita seeds (**alternatively, you can rinse and clean the seeds from your pumpkin, toss with oil, and add to oven for last 10 minutes of pumpkin roasting)
Lemon-Tahini Dressing:
1 large clove garlic
1/4 cup tahini (see below for simple homemade tahini)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1-2 tbsp sesame oil or extra-virgin olive oil (less strong flavour than regular)
1-2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp sea salt
In a food processor, pulse the garlic to mince it. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. It will thicken a bit in the fridge; simply add a tbsp of water and stir to thin it out again.
Homemade Tahini:
Don't pay $7 for a bottle of something that takes less than 10 minutes to make yourself and will cost $2...
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Spread a cup of sesame seeds on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 5-6 minutes more, until seeds are fragrant and golden brown (not too dark!).
2. Immediately transfer toasted seeds to the bowl of a food processor and grind for 1 minute until seeds have broken down. Then drizzle in 1/4 cup olive oil and continue to grind for 1-2 minutes until a smooth paste forms. If mixture is too dry then add more oil, one teaspoon at a time. Transfer tahini to a jar and store in fridge for up to one month. This amount of tahini is enough for 2 batches of Lemon-Tahini Dressing so double the Dressing recipe and use the 2nd batch as a dip with Falafel Bites!
1. Preheat oven to 220C (425F). Line a baking sheet.
2. Slice the squash crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces and place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle them with the oil and toss to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Roast the squash for about 30 minutes (this stands for all varieties of pumpkin). Feel free to roast the red onion as well if you prefer cooked red onion to raw!
**Rinse and clean seeds from squash, toss with oil, and add to baking sheet for last 10 minutes to toast, and use as additional topping to salad!
4. Meanwhile cook the millet: add 2 cups water to millet in medium saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered. If using quinoa, do the same; however reduce to just 1 1/2 cup water and cooking time is 15 minutes.
5. Place the kale in a large bowl and spoon 2-4 tablespoons of the Lemon-Tahini Dressing over the top. Massage the dressing into the kale with your hands until all the leaves are coated. Let the kale sit on the counter for at least 10-15 minutes so the dressing can soften the kale leaves.
6. To assemble the salad, place the dressing-coated kale on a large serving plate. Spread the cooked millet over the top, followed by the onion, celery, parsley, roasted squash, cranberries, and pepita/pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing.
Enjoy :)