Heavenly Crunch Salad with a Citrus Tahini Dressing

I know at fist glance this salad might appear a little complicated, or at best, too much effort. But, in fact, it’s actually really simple. All you need is a couple of key ingredients on hand. When I’m grating carrots for my girls, I like to set aside a little extra for myself, then, while I’m at it, I grate some beetroot, douse them both in lemon juice and store them separately in the fridge, ready to go. And, if there’s one grain you choose to prep for the week, make it quinoa. It’s an excellent option for sustained energy, plus, it bulks up virtually any salad. Besides the fact that Brussels Sprouts are highly nutritious and pretty delicious, in this recipe, I’ve included them for that extra crunch. That said, if you don’t have the luxury of an oven at work, leave them out and try some added protein instead. The beauty of this salad is, it’s a great base with a killer dressing, you can add grilled chicken or fish at night, or some flaked salmon or tuna for lunch (in which case it’s likely you’ll have leftover salad). Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, enjoy it knowing you are nourishing your body from the inside out xx

Heavenly Crunch Salad with a Citrus Tahini Dressing
Recipe by Shelley Kamil
(Serves 1 generously)

1 handful spinach leaves
¼ cup grated beets
¼ cup grated carrots
3-4 broccoli florets, finely chopped
1 handful alfalfa
2 radishes, finely slices
½ cup cooked red quinoa
½ cup organic chickpeas
¼ avocado
4 brussels sprouts, sliced to quarters
½tsp sesame oil
1tbs sunflower seeds
1tsp white sesame
1tsp black sesame
Dressing
1tsp tahini
½tsp sesame oil
1tbs ACV
1tbs Ponzu Sauce
3tbs freshly juiced orange

Directions
1. Pre heat the oven to 180-200 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
3. Spread the Brussels Sprouts out evenly on the baking tray, drizzle a little sesame oil over them, mix to coat evenly, sprinkle with sea salt and transfer to the oven for approximately 12 minutes or until golden and crispy (keep and eye on them to avoid burning)
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, broccoli, radishes, alfalfa, quinoa and chickpeas, reserve a little dressing then pour the remainder over top, mix together well.
5. To assemble the salad, transfer the mixture into 1 or 2 serving bowls, add some grated beets, carrots, avocado, a sprinkle of seeds and an extra drizzle of dressing xx