middle eastern-inspired plant based salad

Middle Eastern-Inspired Salad from Deliciously Ella Every Day

My local grocery store has just started selling containers of fresh pomegranate seeds which has made it so much easier to make this salad! I love the combination of the crunchy pomegranate seeds with the lentils and cauliflower.

And what a bonus to discover that pomegranate seeds are good for your health. According to David Sheran, author of the Anti Cancer A New Way of Life, ‘pomegranate juice has been used in Persian medicine for thousands of years. It’s inflammatory and antioxidant properties have already been confirmed, as well as its capacity to substantially reduce the development of prostate cancer (among others), even in its most aggressive forms.’

Ingredients

Serves 6

For the salad

1 cauliflower

2 teaspoons tamari

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

100g green lentils

20g fresh coriander/cilantro leaves finely chopped

200g pomegranate seeds

For the dressing 

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons tahini

2 garlic cloves crushed

Creating the Magic

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Chop the cauliflower into bite sized pieces and place them on a large baking tray with half the tamari, some olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for around 20 minutes or until the cauliflower starts to turn brown – you want it still to be a little crunchy.

Next place the lentils into a saucepan with the remaining tamari and 500ml of boiling water. Place the lid on the pan and bring the lentils to a boil again, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the dressing and let them sit for a while so the flavors can infuse.

Allow the cauliflower and lentils to cool down for a few minutes, then combine them all in a salad bowl with the dressing, mix gently.

Sprinkle with the coriander/cilantro and pomegranate and mix so that everything is lightly coated in the dressing, then serve.