Here is another brilliant recipe for you guys!

I must admit, that these roasted vegetables nearly didn’t even make it on to a salad. When they came out of the oven I had to give them a try to make sure that they were done (although I was that eager to eat them I picked them up with my fingers and burnt myself – that will teach me).

They were done, so my taste test should have been over. But I only tried a potato, so surely I needed to test the carrot, butternut squash, parsnip and red onion too? I did, and they were all cooked and delicious. But was the potato I first tasted actually cooked, or was it just that one? I will try another one. Before I knew it, I had “tested” half the pan and the salad still needed to be made. But luckily for you, I managed to throw it on a salad before I could eat it all and I managed to photograph this recipe to share with you. The things I do for you guys!

There really isn’t a whole lot of effort needed to make this salad, and that’s the way it should be. Sure, roasting the vegetables takes a little while, but whilst they are cooking you can get on with other things. I spent the time trying to make a baby laugh with an owl puppet, but that’s just me. 

Just roast up the vegetables, dump them on top of a salad, drizzle over the dressing and then sprinkle with some creamy feta or a dairy free equivalent to keep it vegan.

We weren’t done there with the topping though, as you will see a scattering of Good Hemp Seed Hearts. Hemp Seed Hearts have a great flavour that adds a nice nuttyness to the salad. They are also fantastic used in stir-frys, soups, on yogurt, in baking or just as a snack by themselves.

“The true ‘Super Seed’, hemp hearts are naturally packed full of Protein and Omegas 3, 6 and 9, all in exactly the right ratio so are easily absorbed by our bodies”. A 30g serving of hemp seed hearts contains more Protein and Omegas than the same serving of Chia or Flax seeds. They really are great for you – just look at all the benefits:

• 100% Natural. Nothing added.
• Naturally rich in Omega 3 – a 30g serving provides 100% of your recommended daily intake
• Naturally rich in Protein – 9g per 30g serving
• Contains all Essential Amino Acids
• Free from Wheat & Gluten
• Free from Nuts
• Suitable for Vegetarians & Vegans

Not only have you got all the Omega 3, 6, & 9 from the hemp hearts, you have it from the Hemp Oil that the vegetables were roasted in too. Interesting fact: Hemp seed oil has 25 times more Omega 3 than Olive oil and 40% less saturated fat. So, if you are roasting up a big batch of vegetables like this, it’s definitely worth using hemp oil as a healthy alternative. It cooks really well as well as giving the vegetables a nice, nutty taste.

Now, let’s talk about the dressing for a minute shall we? As dressing, which really make or break a salad, we made a dressing that was bursting with fresh herbs because a dish with this many vegetables needs a good mixture of herbs to go with it. If you have a few different herbs to use up, then this dressing will help you to do just that. Remember, we are all about wasting less food at the moment and herbs are one of those things that always go to waste. You buy some for one recipe, only use half, and then they are left to wilt in the back of the fridge. No more! Make this dressing instead. Of course, we used Good Hemp Oil to add a lovely, nutty taste.

I think this Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad might mark the start of salad season for us. There have been a few salads over the last few months, but not as many as we would like. So, if you are looking for some new salad inspiration, then stick around (and sign up to our mailing list), because we have lots more coming your way soon!

ROASTED VEGETABLE WINTER SALAD INGREDIENTS – SERVES 2:

Roasted Vegetables:
– 1 Red Onion
– 1 Small Butternut Squash
– 10 Baby potatoes
– 2 Carrots
– 2 Parsnips
– 1 tbsp Good Hemp Oil
– Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Salad:
– 4 Handfuls of Watercress/Rocket (arugula) salad mix
– 1 tbsp Good Hemp Oil
– 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
– 2 tbsp each of fresh basil, coriander and parsley, finely chopped
– Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
– 1 tbsp Good Hemp Seed Hearts
– 30g Light Feta (or dairy-free equivalent)

METHOD:

1) Firstly, chop all the vegetables so they are fairly chunky. Mix in a bowl with the oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes at 200°C.
2) To make the salad dressing, in a small bowl mix the oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper.
3) Put the salad leaves into two serving bowls and arrange the roasted vegetables over them.
4) Finally, drizzle the dressing over the salads and scatter the hemp seed hearts.

Nutritional Information – Per Person:

Calories: 420
Fat: 16
Carbs: 58
Protein: 11
Fibre: 10