When it comes to crafting creative salads, Naomi Twigden has more than a few tricks up her sleeve—more than 100 actually, as showcased in her new book, Lunchbox Salads. And the best part: All are made with ten ingredients or less and take fewer than 30 minutes to make.
Take, for instance, this squash, cashew, and spinach salad. Sauteed squash and onion get tossed with spinach, pomegranates, and cashews before being topped with a tahini dressing. “The inspiration for this recipe came from the ingredients I found in curries whilst traveling in India,” says Twigden. “The pomegranate adds a burst of fruitiness which works well with the sweet squash and red onion and nutty tahini.”
When it comes to transporting salads to work, one of Twigden’s top tips is keeping the salad dressing separate. “Line a mug with cling wrap, pour in the salad dressing, and tie the top in a knot. Store the makeshift baggie in your tupperware and pierce it when you are ready to eat,” she suggests. She also recommends adding salad leaves and fresh herbs on top of your lunch box in the morning so they stay fresh for as long as possible.
Squash, Cashew + Spinach Salad with Tahini Dressing
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Prep Time8 minutes
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Cook Time20 minutes
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Servings1
Ingredients
For the salad
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1 red onion
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coconut oil or olive oil
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1 small butternut squash
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1 cup unsalted cashews
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2 handfuls pomegranate seeds
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1/2 cup baby spinach
For the dressing
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2 tsp tahini
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2 Tbsp yogurt
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1 tsp cold-pressed grapeseed oil
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1 tsp honey
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lemon juice
Instructions
Recipe Notes
Excerpted from Lunchbox Salads: More than 100 Fast, Fresh Filling Salads for Every Weekday by Naomi Twigden and Anna Pinder. Copyright © 2018. Available from Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc. For more salad inspo, check out this twist on a Caesar salad and Paleo Thai beef salad.