Carrot & Beet Balsamic Salad 🥕

Instructions

Start with the marinated chickpeas. They need to sit for a minimum of 1 hour but can be left up to overnight or even a few days. To make them, place all the ingredients in a bowl or container, mix well, cover and place in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 220C. Give the beets and carrots a quick wash and scrub (leave skins on) then rub each with a few drops of olive or avocado oil. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a parchment-paper lined baking tray. Place the carrots on the baking tray as well and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Roast the carrots until they’re very tender and starting to bubble and brown, about 30-40 minutes, depending on size. Once roasted, either chop them up or serve whole on top of your salad. I like leaving them whole as they’re so tender you can easily chop with a fork while eating your salad.

Roast the beets for 40-60 minutes, depending on size, until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Once tender, remove from the oven, open the foil and let them cool until you can handle them, about 15-20 minutes. Once they’ve cooled down, you can peel the skin off, cut off the ends and chop them for the salad.

While the carrots and beets are roasting, make the balsamic vinaigrette by whisking or shaking the ingredients together until combined. Be sure to mix it again before adding to your salad as the oil may separate.

Remove the kale leaves from the thick stems and chop it into small pieces. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a few drops of olive or avocado oil, or add a small amount of the balsamic dressing. Massage the kale with your hands hands for 1-2 minutes. Massaging the kale is optional but helps to soften it and improve the taste. I prefer it to be massaged before using in the salad. Divide the kale between 4 bowls, plates or food storage containers.

Divide the chopped beets, carrots, corn, marinated chickpeas and pepitas between the 4 portions. Top each salad with equal amounts of the balsamic vinaigrette and feta.