Warm Spring Salad: World Vegetarian Day

Today we’re celebrating World Vegetarian Day—a day that has marked the beginning of Vegetarian Awareness Month since its inception in 1977. Whether you’re a committed vegetarian or not, today is a great opportunity to consider your diet and how you could make choices that benefit your health, the planet, and animal welfare.

Vegetarianism does not come at the cost of flavour! It is entirely possible (and easy!) to enjoy a well-rounded, nutritional, delicious vegetarian meal and as we embrace the balmy spring temperatures and crave fresher, lighter meals, it’s the ideal time to give this warm spring salad a go!

Any good salad needs a balance of veggies, wholegrains, textures and flavours, and with WholeLife’s extensive range of grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, this is easily achieved. This dish is a perfect mix of sweet and tart, warm but still light, and is great on its own or as an accompaniment to vegetarian mains like stuffed capsicums or roasted field mushrooms. It’s packed full of nutrients, fibre, colour and flavour, and looks beautiful in the middle of a table to share with all your loved ones.

Enjoy, and Happy World Vegetarian Day from the WholeLife team!

Salad ingredients

1 large sweet potato, chopped into 1-2cm cubes

2 medium-sized zucchinis, chopped into 1-2cm cubes

1 cup quinoa (we used tri-coloured, but any will do)

1 bunch broccolini, chopped into 2-3cm pieces

250g haloumi

1 bunch mint leaves

1 cup macadamias

½ cup cranberries

¼ cup buckwheat kernels

Dressing ingredients

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Chop your sweet potatoes into 1-2cm cubes and place in a bowl. Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Roast in the oven at 190 degrees, fan forced, for 30 minutes or until crispy around the edges.
2. Repeat Step 1 with your zucchinis, keeping in mind they’ll take less time to cook.
3. While your vegetables are roasting, prepare your quinoa. Pour into a sieve and rinse under water, before adding to a pot with 2 cups water.
4. Bring quinoa and water to the boil, then reduce heat and cover with lid until water is absorbed and quinoa is light and fluffy. Set aside.
5. Next, chop ends off broccolini and chop into 2-3cm pieces. Fry in a pan with some olive oil and two tablespoons of water. This should only take a few minutes; remove from heat when broccolini is vibrant and crisp. Set aside.
6. Slice haloumi into thin rectangular pieces, about 1x2cm. Pan fry in olive oil until golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. When sweet potato and zucchini have finished roasting, assemble all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
8. Top with chopped mint, chopped macadamias, cranberries, and buckwheat kernels.
9. Serve while still warm!

Dressing

Mix all ingredients together and whisk in bowl, or shake in jar, until well combined. Taste and adjust accordingly, with more olive oil to neutralise, red wine vinegar to sharpen, and honey to sweeten. Pour over salad and stir through.