Lyndey Milan’s spiced chickpea, pumpkin and spinach salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 700g butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut in 2-3cm chunks
• 1 ½ tablespoons (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon (20ml) apple cider vinegar
• Pinch sugar (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 200g baby spinach leaves
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 120g soft goats curd cheese or feta, crumbled
• 1 ¼cups spiced chickpeas

To make 1 ¼ cups spiced chickpeas

• 400 g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon (20ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½-1 teaspoon salt flakes, or to taste
• Pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli powder (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss pumpkin with 2 teaspoons (10ml) of extra virgin olive oil, place on a tray and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine remaining oil with mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl or screw-top jar and shake until well combined or whisk together in a bowl.

3. Place spinach leaves in a bowl, top with onion and cheese and toss gently with the dressing.

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4. To serve, individually plate the salad and then top with the pumpkin and spiced chickpeas.

To make 1 ¼ cups of spiced chickpeas

1. In a bowl or plastic bag, toss together the chickpeas, olive oil, paprika, cumin, the 1 teaspoon salt and the cayenne if you want the extra kick of heat

2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the chickpeas on a tray and roast until they are golden and slightly crisp, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes for really crisp.

Lyndey Milan is an acclaimed Australian Chef and Philips Kitchen Appliances ambassador.