Really, the title of this post should be harissa roasted sweet potatoes, wild rice, arugula and lemony tahini dressing with marmite cashews, because these are the components in this delightful fall time salad, but obviously that is too long a title.

Sweet potatoes, harissa, tahini, lemons, wild rice, cashews…all together sounds a tad complicated but such is the wonderful versatility of salads – you build a great salad when ingredients complementary to each other work spectacularly well together and then you marry them in a fine zesty dressing.

When you get the formula right, salads are usually healthy, veggie-full and deliciously satisfying.

This is one of those salads; it’s nourishing and enlivened with North African flavours, harissa and tahini.

Beta-carotene rich sweet potatoes are coated in harissa and roasted till golden brown and tossed in a lemon-tahini dressing with wild rice and arugula and cashews.

The creamy lemon-tahini dressing is tangy and refreshingly addictive, just the kick this salad needs.
Add two tablespoons of hot water to the dressing when making it if you prefer your dressing thinner.

You will love the textures in this salad; the chewiness of the wild rice, the crunch of cashews, the potatoes are crispy on the outside and creamy inside.

And the flavours… oh the flavours, this roasted sweet potato and wild rice salad is sweet, savoury, spicy, nutty and warm.

I knew this would be a great perfect salad for this time of year. I love warm salads and sweet potatoes plentiful at the market right now.

I’m having a moment with harissa right now; I love how it livens up salads, soups, stews etc.
And for the cashews, feel free to use regular roasted cashews, I was lucky to have marmite ones on hand.

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Salad

adapted from Pinch of Yum

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 teaspoons agave nectar (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salad

• 1/2 cup wild rice, plus enough vegetable broth to cook it in
• Salt to taste (optional or omit if using salted broth)
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 small red onion, chopped into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon harissa paste
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
• Handful of roasted cashews
• A large handful of arugula

DIRECTIONS

1. Make dressing by combining lemon zest and juice, olive oil, tahini, agave nectar, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Cook wild rice according to package instructions in vegetable broth with 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon salt and keep on warm when done
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with lightly oiled foil or parchment paper
4. Add cubed sweet potatoes and onions in a large bowl
5. Add harissa paste, coconut oil and salt
6. Toss together until potatoes are evenly coated, and check seasoning
7. Place potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet
8. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are golden brown and cooked through, stir occasionally to keep from burning
9. When the potatoes are done, toss them together with wild rice, add cashews, a handful arugula
10. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat
11. Serve immediately
12. Enjoy!

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