Roasted cauliflower pumpkin salad with moringa leaves | Glutenfreewhisk

 For the longest time I wanted to make a salad with peanut butter dressing, but I am allergic to peanuts, so I don't even have peanut butter at home. But I decided to make my own peanut butter and eat this salad and see what will happen after these many years of not having it. The reaction was not pleasant, and I have to take medication and drink gallons of water, but I survived and I can happily say that this salad dressing and the overall combination is worth the try. Because I have to give the genuine review of my recipe and describe it according to the taste. And that is only possible once I try the food myself. Took a risk but it was worth it.

Yes, the name of this salad is too long, and I wanted it longer - Roasted cauliflower pumpkin salad with white pea and moringa leaves - I know but I wanted to give all the ingredients the fair place. I have also added the mountain vegetable in this recipe, the famous Linguda. I have had it for the first time and its texture while cutting is similar to that of ladyfinger and I hate ladyfinger but while eating it after roasting it, it was like a regular green vegetable and not like ladyfinger with that mucus texture. I really like the shape of this vegetable, and it is still available in the market. I think its season is during this monsoon time. If you have never had it then you should give this vegetable a try as it has many health benefits.

Earlier I have shared an amazing recipe using fresh moringa leaves and mushrooms to make a lunch or dinner meal. Try my recipe for creamy garlic moringa mushroom recipe. It is a gluten-free creamy white sauce based mushroom recipe, and it is just great.

Linguda or wild fiddle head fern is rich in vitamins, minerals and has anti-inflammatory properties. Helps improve digestion and overall immunity and also promotes bone health. Moringa leaves on the other hand are packed with protein, calcium and vitamin C greater than yogurt, milk and oranges respectively. The advantages and benefits of both Linguda and moringa leaves are too many to remember but all you can remember is to add them to your diet. It is a vegetable loaded salad with cauliflower and yellow pumpkin as well and for more fiber and protein I am using white peas as well. The salad dressing is sweet, tangy and nutty. A perfect dressing bringing this salad together. Everything about this salad is great and you have to give it a try to know what I am referring to.

I am sharing this salad for Independence Day, thus the beautiful tricolors and the blue pea flower on top as garnish just completes the Indian flag. This tricolor salad recipe is perfect to celebrate Independence Day with maximum health benefits. This tricolor salad idea is rich in fiber, protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals, good fats and the list is long. Crunchy white peas, crispy moringa leaves and roasted yellow pumpkin, cauliflower and linguda with a sweet and tangy peanut butter dressing. Perfection? Maybe! Addictive? Absolutely! Indulgent? 100%

I generally replace peanut butter with sesame seeds because both are nutty and makes a great salad dressing. But the magic and taste that peanut butter has on your palate is different from the magic and taste that tiny white sesame has. Both are great but if you can eat peanuts then I will suggest make your own peanut butter like me. A regular blender also worked for me. I was skeptical whether I will be able to make this little quantity of peanut butter, but it worked without any hassle or extensive ingredient list. Just blend roasted peanuts with a little salt and add tiny amount of water as required and blend.

For more salad recipes that are healthy, a complete meal and are indulgent, you can check my recipe of Quinoa salad bowl which is sweet and tangy and is light on stomach but gives full nutrients. You can also check my salad recipe of sweet potato salad with lettuce, a classic salad recipe. If you are looking for some more white pea salad recipe then you can check white matar salad with tahini honey dressing. This is my favorite as tahini works so good with honey and being allergic to peanut sesame works great for a nutty, good fat salad dressing.

INGREDIENTS -

For the tricolor salad 

Half cup yellow pumpkin, chopped

3 Linguda, cleaned and chopped

Half a cup cauliflower, small florets separated

1 cup fresh moringa leaves

1 cup white matar or peas, boiled

2 tbsp Melon seeds

4-5 pinch salt

1 tbsp Black pepper powder

1 tbsp Roasted cumin powder

Oil for greasing baking tray and some to brush the vegetables with

For the salad dressing

3 tbsp Peanut butter

Honey, to taste

Juice of 1 lemon 

Salt, to taste

half a tsp Black pepper powder

half a tsp Roasted cumin powder

METHOD -

1. Pre-heat the oven at 190 degrees Celsius. In a greased baking tray with oil place yellow pumpkin, cauliflower and linguda separately. The tricolor vegetables and sprinkle some oil, salt, black pepper powder and roasted cumin powder over them lightly and bake.

2. In another greased baking tray take moringa leaves and boiled white peas and sprinkle some oil, salt, and roasted cumin powder over them and bake.

3. Bake both the trays at 190 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and moringa leaves and boiled white matar are a little crispy. Once done, allow them to cool a little.

4. In a bowl take peanut butter, honey, lemon juice, salt, black pepper powder, and roasted cumin powder and mix well to form the yummiest peanut butter salad dressing.

5. Add all the warm cooked veggies and crispy moringa leaves and white matar and melon seeds to the bowl and toss everything well until the salad dressing coats everything.

6. Serve garnishing with a blue pea flower completing the tricolor salad and indulge.

Note - You can even enjoy this salad cold. Use any seeds of choice, I am using melon seeds in this salad recipe. Keep the veggies to your liking (A little crispy or well done and bake them accordingly). You can pan roast your veggies as well separately if you don't have an oven.

Check the full recipe on YouTube (Gluten_free_whisk) - Roasted cauliflower pumpkin salad with moringa leaves recipe.

Roasted Cauliflower pumpkin salad with moringa leaves | Glutenfreewhisk