The Best Salad For Your Christmas Feast

“Don’t forget the greens” goes without saying, plus what’s a Christmas lunch without a delicious side salad to complement your main? Salads are a chance to get creative which is why we always love coming up with new and exciting flavours and combinations. For your Christmas lunch, we’ve got the perfect salad that still has that festive-vibe to it! It even makes great Boxing Day leftovers.

vegetarian lentil cranberry salad recipe

This is a hearty salad packed with protein, fibre and healthy fats. It contains lentils, sweet potato roasted with cumin spice, Morlife Dried Sliced Cranberries, plus crunchy walnuts. Don't be fooled by the Christmas title, this salad is almost definitely a year-rounder too!

To ensure perfectly roasted and flavoursome sweet potatoes- we have a simple little hack! Place your potatoes in a plastic bag (the ones that come on the rolls at supermarkets which are used to store fruit & veg). Pour in your oil, add the cumin spice, salt & pepper then give the contents a good shake. This will ensure there are even amounts of all the ‘good stuff’ on your potatoes! Place in the oven to roast.

vegetarian lentil cranberry salad recipe

Our Smoked Paprika Tahini Sauce will bring this salad to the next level, making it a big hit at the dining table. This delicious sauce is free from sugar, as we’ve used our Morlife Monk Fruit Powder to naturally sweeten it. Monk Fruit is a fruit native to China and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It is unlike no other as its sweetness comes from naturally occurring antioxidants which are called ‘mogrosides’. Monk Fruit is renowned for its intense sweetness without the bitter aftertaste, so a little goes a long way! Simply blend the ingredients together in a food processor; you can add more of an ingredient depending on your taste e.g if you like more sweetness or more spice. If the sauce is too thick, simply add more water.

For some delicious texture and a festive touch, we’ve included our Morlife Dried Sliced Cranberries. Not only do cranberries ‘scream’ out Christmas to us but they also provide a juicy burst of flavour. Our cranberries have carefully been selected and are dried using an infusion process that creates a moist and delicious soft textured cranberry. Gluten free, 99% fat-free and free from artificial sweeteners they add just the right amount of zing in this salad!

vegetarian lentil cranberry salad recipe

vegetarian lentil cranberry salad recipe

This salad is best presented on a large flat platter, the beautiful fresh colours showcase very well layered out on top of each other. If you’re having a lot of people at your dinner table, you can split the salad up into 2 plates (like we did) and have a salad each at one end of the table. Lay your rocket down then add your roasted potato then gently sprinkle with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with the Smoked Paprika Tahini Sauce and serve.

CUMIN ROASTED SWEET POTATO SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES & WALNUTS

PREP & COOK TIME: 1 hr

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS

SALAD

2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into cubes
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
Salt & pepper
4 handfuls rocket
1 400g can lentils, rinsed & drained
¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/3 cup Morlife Dried Sliced Cranberries

SMOKED PAPRIKA TAHINI DRESSING

2 tbsp tahini paste
1 lemon, juiced
5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. Morlife Monk Fruit Powder
1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
3-5 tbsp water

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Place the sweet potato on a lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with cumin, salt & pepper. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
  3. Blend the ingredients for the Smoked Paprika Tahini Sauce in a blender until smooth and creamy, season with salt & pepper.
  4. On a platter, arrange the rocket; add roasted sweet potato, lentils, walnuts and cranberries. Pour the dressing over and serve.