Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone had a great few days! We just wrapped up a super weekend filled with kids parties and an end to an entire (wonderfully bizarre) week of parrot sitting. Yes, you did read that right! For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you may have seen little Ella perched on my tea-cup or nestled inside my shirt - she belongs to great friends who were vacationing in Mexico and we had a lovely time together indeed :)
Today's recipe comes courtesy of one of my favourite ways to create recipes - using colour as my inspiration. I can often be found daydreaming about new ideas, whether for the garden, for an outfit, or most likely scheming up a new food combination based on colours that go beautifully together.
With this time of year being what it is and the darkness that fills our mornings & evenings, a little pop of colour in your salad bowl is a wonderful way to bring a smile to your face and a beautiful vision to your eyes. You know what they say about first impressions right? Well, this dish aims to please with its bright pop of orange & green right up front.
Roasted Yam & Edamame Salad:
- (1) extra large orange yam, or 2 small, peeled & chopped (4 cups chopped)
- (2) tbsp olive oil for roasting
- (1/2) tsp sea salt
- (1.5) cups shelled edamame (fresh soybeans found in the freezer section)
- (2) stalks celery hearts, or 1 large stalk of celery, minced
- (2) green onions, minced
- (1/4) cup cilantro, minced
- (1/2) tsp salt, or to taste
- (1/4) cup marinated kale vinaigrette dressing
Heat your oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil a flat baking tray. Prepare the sweet potatoes by peeling & chopping into a 1-2 inch dice. Toss with olive oil & salt for roasting, and put in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, and then flip them to prevent sticking and promote even roasting & browning. After tossing, roast for a further 15-20 minutes, until soft & browned. Remove from heat and add to a mixing bowl.
While the yams cook, put up the frozen edamame in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring the water to a boil, and once boiling, turn the heat down to medium high and cook, covered for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain.
While the beans cool & the yams cook, prepare the celery, green onions & cilantro and set aside. Prepare the dressing in your blender & set aside (this recipe will make enough for a batch or two of marinated kale so be sure to pick up a few bunches of green kale too!).
Once the yams are cooked, allow them to cool for 3-4 minutes before adding 2 tablespoons of the dressing to them while still warm (but not hot). Toss very gently to incorporate and coat the warm yams. After a few minutes, combine all of the ingredients, using less or more dressing as desired. Season to taste with salt & pepper and serve right away.
Serve this dish on its own with a bed of fresh greens, or keep it in the fridge to toss with warm grains such as brown rice or quinoa. Full of protein, natural carbs from the yams, as well as vitamins & minerals, this dish is one stop shop for great nutrition and clean sustenance. I also recommend mixing leftovers into your marinated kale - a great combo as well and this dressing is a classic with the lemon & fresh ginger.
