The almond and pistachio dukkah keeps for months and brightens up all kinds of salads and snack platters. And the spring salad cups - they're so refreshing that they almost scream ''sunshine!''.
• SPRING CARROT SALAD CUPS
Makes 12 small serves (depending on size of lettuce leaves).
Individual serves of salad look so cute - I'm sure both children and adults eat more vegetables when they are served in their own ''cup''.
Even better, these can be eaten using your fingers - the mess factor is particularly appealing to children (you may want to leave out the chilli and replace with mellow radishes if serving to children).
This recipe makes a lot of salad cups - halve the salad ingredients if serving a small number of people, and keep any left-over dressing refrigerated for up to a week.
INGREDIENTS
Dressing
2 Tbsp flaxseed oil
juice of half a lemon
1 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp almond butteR
2cm fresh ginger, finely grated
dash of chilli flakes (optional)
Salad
lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
3 carrots (approximately 200g), grated or cut into julienne strips
3-4 small radishes (approximately 100g), very finely sliced
2 large sprigs of mint, leaves finely shredded
1 large red-skinned apple
To garnish
microgreens or baby mint leaves
sesame and pumpkin seed
or a sprinkling of almond and pistachio dukkah
METHOD
Dressing: Mix together dressing ingredients with a mini blender or shake in a screw-top jar until well combined. Season to taste.
Salad: Place lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Place carrots, radishes and mint in a large bowl. Finely slice or chop the apple and add to bowl. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and mix well.
To serve: Fill each lettuce leaf with a spoonful of salad. Garnish with seeds/dukkah and microgreens/baby mint leaves. Serve immediately.
• ALMOND AND PISTACHIO DUKKAH
Dukkah is fantastic to have on hand for when people pop in at short notice. Sneakily chop up some vegetables, arrange on your most impressive platter with small bowls of avocado (or olive) oil and dukkah, and it looks like you were expecting guests all along
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup pistachios
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 Tbsp chia seeds
METHOD
Roughly chop almonds and pistachio nuts. Combine with sesame seeds and bake at 170degC on a lined tray for 10 minutes or until starting to change colour.
Add fennel, cumin, coriander and caraway seeds and bake for another 5 minutes or until spices are fragrant.
Remove from oven, add chia seeds and crush mixture with a mortar and pestle. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Makes approximately 1 cup. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• FOR MORE: These recipes are from the Nibl Feeling Peckish? ebook, which is filled with delicious plant-based snack recipes. It will be released later this year. To be up with the play and have access to an early-bird offer, sign up to the Nibl newsletter at www.nibl.co.nz.
