If I'm being honest, this recipe first came about as a throw-together of leftovers (often how many great flavours and meals do). With kale and roast pumpkin on hand, plus a keen interest in using some mung beans recently purchased, I popped them altogether and the flavour was absolutely heavenly. But the best part? The combination of these ingredients, and their extras (almonds, tahini, dukkah and seeds), makes for one of the richest plant-based protein salads going around, leaving you feeling completely nourished and ultimately satisfied.

Mung Bean, Pumpkin and Kale Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup mung beans, cooked until tender
2 cups marinated kale
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup mixed toasted sunflower seeds and pepitas
1/4 cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 teaspoon zest
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup mint leaves or other herbs on hand (finely chopped coriander/parsley will work well)
2 cups cooked pumpkin pieces
1/4 cup dukkah
1/4 cup tahini
Sea salt and black pepper

Method

To marinate kale: pull leaves from stem and into bite size pieces then place in a bowl, drizzle with lemon juice, add a good pinch of sea salt and massage.

Add Toss cooked mung beans, marinated kale, celery, sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds, lemon juice, zest, extra virgin olive oil and herbs in a bowl with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

Lightly toss through the pumpkin. Arrange half the salad on a serving platter, sprinkle with half the dukkah and half the tahini then repeat and serve.

Jacqueline Alwill is a qualified, practicing nutritionist, author of Seasons to Share and director at The Brown Paper Bag.