I’ve been getting innovative with my salads because I run out of lettuce very quickly in lockdown.

I bulked yo this salad by adding some spinach to it. I also am going through a citrus phase. I’m particularly addicted to fresh kumquats and have been adding them to everything, even my curries.

This salad is filling and the added mint yogurt dressing is just amazing. I must just point out that this is a high fat salad because I’ve added nuts and oil in my dressing. It’s also quite carby so if you’re on a strict calorie deficit diet, don’t add too much pumpkin or butternut to your bowl.

Did you know: Hemp seeds comprise of 30% fat. They’re fatty. But they good-fatty. They are exceptionally rich in two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Hemp seeds is also a good source of protein. These tiny brown seeds have also been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, can reduce PMS and menopause symptoms and it aids digestion. The only downside to this wonderful seed is that if you’re addicted to marijuana, try to avoid hemp. The shells may contain trace amounts of an active compound found in weed.

Ingredients

4 kumquats, cliced

1/8 cup of black beans

1/8 cup of steamed pumpkin (if you use butternut, don’t add corn)

1/8 cup of steamed sweetcorn

2 radish, sliced

1 cup lettuce,

1 cup spinach

1 carrot, sliced

4, cherry tomatoes halved

1 tbsp crushed walnuts

1 tsp hemp seeds

slices of cucumber

spring onions, garnish

Ingredients for mint dressing - blitz the below ingredients for a fresh dressing

1/2 plain yoghurt

salt to taste

1/4 cup mint

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp honey

Method

1. Break lettuce and spinach with your hand and dress the bowl.

2. Arrange the rest of the salad ingredients in the bowl.

3. Dress with the corn and black beans last.

4. Sprinkle nuts, hemp and garnish with spring onions.

5. Dress with mint dressing. You can store the leftover dressing in the fridge for up to 3 days.