PUMPKIN & CHICKEN SALAD

There’s nothing better than comfort food on a rainy, dreary day. The past two days and nights I spend at a lovely beach house in Kirra, on the Gold Coast, freezing my ass off. I suppose we are too spoilt in Queensland, as I had images of walking along the beach in shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of winter. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. It POURED all weekend, silly relentless rain. As there was nothing else to do, we ate….a lot. I’m too proud to list exactly what we are every day and night, but it wasn’t pretty. I don’t think a hike up Mt Everest could have burnt off what we consumed. So as soon as my cold feet arrived back in Brisbane this morning, I decided a health kick was in order... hence I plan to spend today busy in my kitchen making delicious, healthy food so I cease snacking! Below is a lovely winter salad that I made a few weeks ago and wish I had infront of me right now.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g pumpkin, skin removed & cut into thin wedges
• 2 tablespoons ground sumac
• 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
• sea salt
• 400g chicken breast, cut into small strips
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grape seed oil
• generous handful of washed baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Combine pumpkin pieces, 1 tablespoon oil and sumac in a medium bowl and toss well. Place coated pumpkin in a single tray on prepared tray. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. 

2. Meanwhile, combine chicken pieces, 1 teaspoon oil and garlic in a medium bowl. Heat a small to medium frying pan over medium-low heat and cook chicken, stirring constantly, until chicken is white in colour and no pink flesh remains. 

3. Make the salad dressing by combining maple syrup and vinegar in a screw-top jar or whisking to combine. 

4. Place baby spinach in a large serving bowl. Add cooked chicken, cooked pumpkin, avocado pieces and pine nuts to the bowl. Drizzle with maple syrup dressing and serve warm. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

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