This is one of my favourite salads because it looks so impressive, tastes delicious and is so simple to make. Simply roast the vegetables in the oven and blend together a simple pea purée while they cook. Spoon the purée onto the bottom of a serving plate before piling high with the green veg, top with some fresh lemon juice and pepper before serving - can't really get more simple than that! Sometimes we crumble feta over the top for an utterly delicious creamy taste.
Serves 2-4 & takes 35 minutes to cook
Ingredients
For the salad
2 courgettes, cut in half lengthways and cut into half moon shapes
1 broccoli, cut into small florets and stalk cut into slices
1x 400g can of chickpeas, drained
Handful of salad leaves (any you have)
Handful of pine nuts
Squeeze of lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
For the pea purée
200g frozen peas
50g pine nuts
1 garlic clove, peeled
Juice of 1 lemon
Dash of almond milk, if needed
Pinch of salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C, fan setting.
2. Place the courgettes, broccoli florets (and stalk slices) and drained chickpeas into a large baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Mix well and cook for 20-25 minutes until the courgettes turn soft.
3. While the vegetables cook, make the purée. Place the frozen peas into a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for a few minutes until soft. Once the peas feel soft, drain and spoon into a blender, along with the pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, a dash of almond milk and a pinch of salt. Blend until the mixture comes together to form a purée but is still a little chunky.
4. Once the vegetables have cooked, remove them from the oven and leave to cool a little.
5. Spoon the purée onto a large serving plate, spreading out to cover the plate. Top with salad leaves and the roasted vegetables, then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
6. Sprinkle some pine nuts and black pepper over the top before serving.
Tip
Crumble some feta over the top for an extra creamy flavour.
