WATCH: Fun recipe for a deconstructed festive tree salad

We all know 2020 has been a difficult year and for me it was no different. One thing that has always been able to cheer me up is good food and the joy of making it.

For this festive season I knew I had to create a fun, easy and tasty recipe that would bring joy to my home.

My festive Christmas tree salad is just the thing to get you into the Christmas spirit. It is fun to make with your family and it will wow any person joining your Christmas table this year.

Watch the video for this fun and beautiful salad, and see the recipe below. Merry Christmas!

INGREDIENTS

1 can of chickpeas
3 tablespoons of chicken braai masala spice
1/2 bag of lettuce
1 cup of gooseberries
1/2 cup of pomegranate kernels
1 medium sized cucumber
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
Edible glitter
Olive oil
1/2 lemon juice
Microgreens

Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 lemon juice
salt and pepper
glitter

METHOD

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees C.
2. Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse it with water. Empty into a bowl and add your chicken braai masala spice, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil.
3. Give it a good stir, until everything is coated evenly.
4. Place your chickpeas in an oven tray, space it out evenly and place it in the oven for 20 min.
5. Cut the cucumber in slices and use a small star shaped cookie cutter to cut the slices into star shaped pieces.
6. Place the cut-outs in a bowl and coat with glitter. Mix well and set aside.
7. Place the cherry tomatoes in a separate bowl, coat it with glitter and mix it well. Repeat the same process for the gooseberries.
8. To make the vinaigrette, add the Dijon mustard, vegan mayo, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk until creamy. Add the glitter to the vinaigrette and mix well.
9. Remove the chickpeas from the oven after 20 min.
10. Loosen them from the tray and place it back in the oven for 3 min on the grill setting. Remove the chickpeas from the oven when golden brown and crispy.
11. To assemble the salad, place a bed of lettuce leaves at the bottom of your salad bowl.
12. Add the cucumber cut-outs, cherry tomatoes, gooseberries, chick peas, pomegranate kernels and the vinaigrette. Top the salad off with microgreens. Enjoy!