Serve with our easy flatbread for a glorious lunch or a vegetarian dinner. What do you guys eat for lunch? I try to eat salads every day but I am only human, and I occasionally stumble and fall. What I crave is full blown FLAVOUR, which healthy salads often lack. But it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s easy to introduce flavour to salads without compromising on the “good for you” aspect.
Salad Bowl Recipes
Let’s take this salad bowl filled with veggies and packed with tabbouleh, creamy hummus, oven baked falafel and and smoky baba ganoush. All those individual items have got flavour for days and if you put them together, my oh my! Without a doubt one of the best thing you could eat for lunch or dinner! No joke. I adore bold and vibrant Middle Eastern cuisine with its liberal use of fresh herbs and vegetables. I shared a similar salad bowl but made with grilled chicken about a year ago, which we eat often. My other favourite is a tomato and cucumber salad in a tangy buttermilk dressing with a hint of sumac aka Fattoush Salad. It is served with torn grilled flatbread, a snap to make. All these recipes could be served together for a beautiful Middle Eastern feast. Don’t forget to add creamy tzatziki and crunchy veggies to round it off.
Top Recipe Tips
I guess what makes salad bowls difficult is multiple components. The good news is it’s actually easier than you think. The answer is BATCH COOKING. What I usually do is cook several servings of a grain of choice (grains makes salads more filling and are so good for us) like quinoa, buckwheat, farro or bulgur in this case. Legumes like lentils or beans (the canned variety is also acceptable) and make or buy what I call “flavour makers” like hummus, feta, delicious salad dressings, and a side of protein like chicken, ham, tuna etc. Then I just mix and match throughout the week and add various vegetables depending on what I like. This way my salads are way more interesting and are easily prepared the night before!!
The Salad Dressing
Tahini dressing or a sauce is something I absolutely adore. It works so well in this falafel and tabbouleh salad but it also works great with plain roasted carrots! Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds. It is also what gives our beloved hummus its distinct taste and creamy texture. This gorgeous ingredient is widely available in every supermarket. For the dressing all you have to do is to combine the tahini, lemon juice and garlic with a little water to make the mixture runnier. Done!
Can I bake falafel?
Alright, let’s talk about falafel. I am a big fan of falafel in general but I am even a bigger fan of this falafel in combination with this tabbouleh and all the other delicious things. Hummus, baba ganoush and the tahini dressing all add incredible complexity to this falafel bowl. I’ve been hesitant to make my own falafel because I don’t like to deep fry food. I decided instead to bake my falafel. I have done so in the past and liked it. Baking falafel was okay but I found that through baking you either sacrifice the crispy exterior or moist interior. So on my second try I pan fried it. 2-3 tablespoons of oil is all you need!! If you do choose to bake it, do it on an oiled pan at 190C/375F for 10 minutes on each side. I know it looks like a LOOOONG ingredients list but the actual cooking is minimal. Most of the things only need to be blitzed in a food processor. Hummus and baba ganoush could be prepared a few days ahead of time or purchased in a store.
More salad bowl recipes:
Mediterranean Salad with Hummus and Fried Halloumi Italian Salad with Tuna, Corn and Mozzarella Cobb Salad with Chicken, Crispy Prosciutto, Egg and Avocado
