salads

salads are a natural place to use both whole and ground seeds, whether scattered over the top for crunch or whisked into a dressing. here are three ideas to try, depending on the season and your current phase.

roasted vegetable and pumpkin seed salad

  • 1 sweet potato, cubed
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced
  • handful of mixed salad leaves
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for roasting
  • squeeze of lemon juice
  1. preheat the oven to 200°c.
  2. toss the sweet potato and red onion in a little olive oil and roast for 25 minutes, until soft.
  3. arrange the salad leaves on a plate and top with the roasted vegetables.
  4. scatter over the pumpkin seeds, then whisk the ground flaxseed into the olive oil and lemon juice to make a simple dressing.
  5. drizzle over the salad before serving.

sesame greens salad

  • handful of spinach or mixed leaves
  • 1/2 cucumber, sliced
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  1. arrange the leaves and cucumber in a bowl.
  2. whisk the ground sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar together to make the dressing.
  3. pour over the salad and toss well.
  4. scatter the sunflower seeds on top just before serving.

grain and seed salad

a heartier option that works well for a packed lunch, using whichever ground seeds match your phase.

  • 100g cooked quinoa or couscous
  • handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • small handful of parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp ground seeds (flaxseed and pumpkin, or sesame and sunflower)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • squeeze of lemon juice
  1. combine the cooked grain, tomatoes and parsley in a bowl.
  2. stir through the ground seeds.
  3. dress with the olive oil and lemon juice, then season to taste.

whole seeds add a satisfying crunch, while ground seeds blend smoothly into dressings so their nutrients are easier for your body to access. between the fibre, minerals and healthy fats in flaxseed, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, a seeded salad is a simple way to make lunch a bit more filling.