Almond Butter Sweet Potato Salad
Picnic season is here! Summer picnics are one of my favourite past times, so long as British summer is behaving and not deciding to rain down on us with little warning. I received a gorgeous picnic basket a few birthdays ago, so once in a blue moon when the sun blazes down on Ol’ Portsmouth, the Tupperware is out and that basket gets taken on an adventure.
This time around me and my dear friend took a picnic to Glydebourne Opera House for a fancy picnic – i’m not usually this sophisticated, I promise. The picnic was to feed 5 hungry mouths and this Almond Butter Sweet Potato dish seemed to be the winning favourite. We all want a stress-free time in the kitchen, especially when its hot and sweaty, but we also want our food to taste incredible. Those two things do correlate! This side dish is one of those recipes. Simply roast your potatoes, chop your onions and stir together your dressing. Simple.
Potato salad is a go to for a picnic party or food feast, but why go for the boring, traditional option when there are so many options out there that taste even better. I love a potato as much as the next person, yet sweet potatoes seem to be my go to. They have much more flavour and are seen to be the healthier option too!! Not to mention, throwing a little colour into your dishes is much more visually appealing and we all know that we eat with our eyes. Combine this vibrant orange with purple & green onion… bam. On top of these plant-based ingredients, I used chickpeas and seeds for a protein boost and some different textures. You could even roast the chickpeas for more depth. However, what really makes this dish is the almond butter dressing. Who’s to say that nut-butters can’t be incorporated into savoury dishes too? The almond butter gives a rich, creaminess to the zingy dressing, yet is subtle enough to not be overpowering. I recommend that you use chunky almond butter, I used Meridian almond butter.
You can also use homemade almond butter, which is super simple to make. Take a look at Detoxinista’s easy almond butter recipe.
So have you got a picnic or a vegan feast coming up? Give this recipe a try and let me know what you thought in the comments!
- 3 sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp of each: salt, pepper & paprika
- 1 can of chickpeas, drained
- 2 red onions, diced
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- ¼ cup sunflower/pumpkin seeds
- 3 Tbsp Almond Butter (I used crunchy)
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- ½ Tbsp Maple Syrup
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- Pre-heat your oven at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
- Slice your potatoes into large chunks. I like the skins on mine, but it doesn't matter either way.
- Toss the potatoes in the oil and seasoning. Roast for 30-35 mins or until tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, mix together all the dressing ingredients. If your dressing is too thick add a little more liquid. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through, toss together with the chickpeas, onion and seeds then mix in the almond butter dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a cold potato salad.
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