Roasted pumpkin and carrot salad with carrot top pesto, wild rice, apple and raw fennel

Salad is my religion. It’s what I eat pretty much all the time (and they basically never look the same!!), what best describes my food philosophy; a plate or bowl PACKED with yummy stuff in different colors, flavours and with all the textures you want in a meal. And of course it’s also filled with nutrition - because that’s how I love to cook!

Happy cooking!

Roasted pumpkin and carrot salad with carrot top pesto, wild rice, apple and raw fennel

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Muscat pumpkin

500 g carrots

250 g kale and purple kale, a mix of them both or your choice

2 dl / 0.8 cups wild rice

3 apples

1 fennel

1/2 dl organic raisins or chopped organic apricots

100 g mixed leafy greens

edible flowers, optional - but very pretty!

cold pressed olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Carrot top pesto

Carrot tops (if you cant get hold of carrots with carrot tops you can use 2-3 handfuls of parsley or baby spinach) + the fennel fronds

1 dl / 0.4 cups parsley or cilantro

1 garlic clove, grated

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 dl pepitas

1 dl cold pressed olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to

Cook the wild rice according to instructions on the packaging.

Pre heat the oven to 175 degres Celsius / 350 degres Fahrenheit.

Peel, remove the seeds and cut the pumpkin in slices. Scrub the carrots. Put on a baking tray, toss around with a drizzle of oil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the veggies are slightly golden and crispy around the edges but still have that al dente taste to them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Lower the heat to 150 degres Celsius / 300 degres Fahrenheit. Cut away the thick bottom steam of the kale, tear the leafs in to smaller pieces. Massage with olive oil and a pinch of salt until silky. Spread out on a baking tray and roast in oven for 7-10 minutes, until the kale is crispy.

Carrot top pesto: Mix all the ingredients, except for the pepitas, until a smooth pesto. Add the pepitas and mix until a crunchy consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

Shave the fennel (make sure to use the WHOLE fennel - the stalks as well!) thinly using a mandoline, or a sharp knife. Slice the apples on the with. Toss around with a Tbsp of the pesto.

Layer the leafy greens, wild rice, baked vegetables, fennel, apples and raisins on a big plate. Top with dollops of pesto.

ENJOY!

Photo by Magnus Carlsson