3x how to turn your salad into a meal

Every day at our editorial office the lunch table is richly filled with salads, sandwiches, and treats. On Fridays, I am the lunch chef and sometimes I like to get behind the stove for a soup or my famous tuna salad. I am not a bread eater, so a roll or a slice of whole grain won't make me happy. Put a good bowl of salad in front of me and I am a satisfied person. Can I then move on from that? Certainly. As long as you make sure to hide the necessary proteins and other goodies under that mountain of salad, you can easily get through the afternoon without reaching for candy and chocolate. Do you also want to swap your sandwich box for a delicious salad more often, but have no idea how to start? Then I have three delicious salads for you. Healthy, tasty, and filling. For tomorrow's lunch table or for tonight on your balcony with a glass of wine.

1. Salad with grilled vegetables and spelt (for 4 people)

200 g spelt
1 large eggplant, cut into wedges
8 carrots, cleaned and halved
2 red onions, peeled and cut into thick rings
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp sumac
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
zest and juice of 1 orange
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
handful of pomegranate seeds

1 Soak the spelt in cold water for at least 2 hours, drain, and let it drain well.
2. Cook the spelt according to the instructions on the package, drain well, and keep warm in a pan with the lid on.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant wedges, carrots, and onion rings with 2 tablespoons of the oil, plus the oregano and some salt and pepper to taste.
4. Roast the vegetables in the oven for 15 minutes, add the garlic and sumac, and toss again. Roast the vegetables for another 20 minutes until they are soft and the onion rings are golden brown.
5. Remove the halved carrots, eggplant, and garlic from the roasting pan, place them in a bowl, and set aside.
6. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses over the onion rings and roast them for another 2 minutes in the oven.
7. In a bowl, mix the remaining oil with the zest and juice of the orange, the vinegar, and some salt and pepper to taste.
8. Toss the dressing through the cooked spelt.
9. Then fold in the vegetables, two-thirds of the parsley, and the pomegranate seeds.
10. Divide the salad onto a large platter, sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley on top, and serve.

2. Spinach salad with hulled barley and aged sheep cheese

320 g hulled barley (pearl barley/Alkmaar barley)
500 g pumpkin
olive oil
300 g spinach
50 g pumpkin seeds (dry)
1 lemon
100 g grated spicy sheep cheese
salt and pepper

1. Soak the hulled barley in lukewarm water for a few hours.
2. Cut the pumpkin into cubes.
3. Bring the hulled barley to a boil in plenty of water and cook for 10 minutes until done.
4. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and fry the pumpkin cubes until golden brown for 15 minutes.
5. Add the spinach and let it wilt.
6. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan.
7. Mix all the ingredients together and season with lemon, salt, and pepper.
8. Garnish with the pumpkin seeds and cheese.

3. Buckwheat salad with hazelnuts, cranberries, and goat cheese

150 g wild rice
125 g roasted buckwheat (kasha)
3 spring onions
zest and juice of half a lemon
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp za'atar
60 g hazelnuts
3 tbsp dried cranberries
2 handfuls of arugula
a few sprigs of curly parsley
a few sprigs of basil
60g goat cheese
freshly ground black pepper and salt

 
1. Cook the rice according to the instructions on the package and let it cool.
2. Bring 200 milliliters of water to a boil for the buckwheat and then reduce the heat.
3. Add the buckwheat and cook it for about 6 minutes until al dente.
4. Let the buckwheat cool as well.
5. Slice the spring onion into rings and grate the lemon.
6. Halve the lemon and squeeze out half of it.
7. Make a dressing from the lemon juice, the pressed garlic clove, the olive oil, the honey, and the za'atar.
8. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan and then chop them coarsely.
9. Mix the rice, the buckwheat, the lemon zest, the nuts, and the cranberries.
10. Spread the arugula over a nice platter and scoop the rice mixture on top.
11. Chop the parsley finely and tear the basil and distribute it over the salad.
12. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and crumble the goat cheese on top.
13. Season with salt and pepper.