Bulked super salad

"We all know that we need to eat more vegetables on a daily basis, and many people say that they find salads boring and bland. Au contraire! Here is a delicious, nutritious salad packed with baked sweet potato, the crunch of fresh capsicum and spinach, topped off with feta. Easy to prepare, full of fibre and nutrients and totally delicious! " Tara Diversi APD DVA's Dietetics Adviser

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cooked brown rice
• (½ cup uncooked) or tricolour quinoa
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 small red capsicum
• 3 cups spinach (or other leafy greens)
• 150g cherry tomatoes (or whole punnet if you like lots!)
• 1 can (400g) chickpeas/ kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ block feta, crumbled

Optional additions

• Cabbage, beetroot, shredded carrot

Protein options

• Serve salad with either grilled meat, fish, falafels or leave with chickpeas/ kidney beans

Dressing

• Balsamic vinegar or 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + ½ tbsp white vinegar + 1 tsp soy sauce

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C fan-forced.
• Peel and dice sweet potato. Slice capsicum into long strips about 1 cm wide. Lightly drizzle with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil and roast until soft and golden (~30–45mins).
• Meanwhile, cook brown rice or quinoa according to packet instructions.
• Whilst step 2 and 3 are cooking, prepare rest of salad ingredients.
• In a large bowl or big serving plate, spread spinach along the bottom. Toss through brown rice.
• Layer with sweet potato, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, chick peas/kidney beans.
• Crumble feta over the top and drizzle dressing over the top.
• Serve and enjoy!