Purple broccoli & potatoes with celeriac, quinoa & green tahini

Bit of a different one from me today as I don’t often cook with blue anneliese potatoes or celeriac, but wow, I need to pick them up more often! This salad was so tasty and even won over my celeriac-hating other half! I think the way forward is roasting the celeriac to get the sweetness and a softer flavour.

The veggies all arrived in my Able & Cole box (as did the celeriac); I’ve been trying them for the past few weeks and I’m really enjoying cooking with different ingredients and creating dishes to include them in.

This salad was so tasty and amazingly healthy, here are a few nutrition facts you might find interesting:

purple potatoes have more potassium (fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve signals) than bananas surprisingly and contain lots of antioxidant polyphenols, which mop up the free radicals in your body that cause cell damage.

Celeriac is also packed with antioxidants plus Vit C (immunity), K (blood clotting and bone health) and B6 (supports neurotransmitters that regulate mood, such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA).

Purple sprouting broccoli is another great source of antioxidants (like anything purple!) , Vit K, C, folate (mental health, cardiovascular and immune system health, cell division and DNA creation) .

And last but not least quinoa, a complete source of protein as it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and protein forms the basis of all tissues in your body. It is also packed full of: manganese (metabolism, growth, development), phosphorus (tissue health), copper (heart), folate, iron (energy), magnesium (muscles, energy), zinc (immunity, growth and around 100 essential enzyme reactions).

Note: if you can’t get blue anneliese then switch for sweet potatoes.

Ingredients

• Serves 4-6, or 8-10 as part of a mezze

• 3 blue anneliese potatoes, 1cm slices, halved

• ½ large celeriac, 2 cm rough cubes

• Pinch of dried thyme

• 150g tri-colour quinoa

• 100g purple spouting broccoli

• Dressing

• 100g tahini

• 20g fresh parsley

• 1 small garlic clove

• Juice 1 ½ lemons (approx 3 tbsp)

• 3 tbsp water

• ¼ tsp sea salt

  Method

• Pre heat the oven to 180ºc.

• Spread the potatoes and celeriac on 2 large trays with a pinch of thyme and drizzle with 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, roast for 20-25 minutes until soft and browned.

• Rinse the quinoa really well and cook as per the packet instructions, rinse and drain well. Toss in a good pinch of salt and set aside in a pan with the lid on to keep warm.

• Blitz the dressing ingredients in a mini chopper or use a stick blender in a deep jug.

• While everything is still warm layer the quinoa, veggies and dressing, serve immediately if you can, but if you have to make ahead then this salad is lovely at room temperature too.