Do you find yourself with leftover veggies and not sure what to do with them? It's a common problem, but there's a tasty solution that's easy to make, budget-friendly, and reduces waste. Enter the roasted sweet potato, lentil and avocado warm winter salad from our recipe expert, Sarah Pound @wholesomebysarah.

This fuss-free recipe uses the skins of the sweet potato and tomato, along with other pantry staples, to create a delicious and nutritious salad. Plus, it's flexible - you can substitute in other veggies like pumpkin or carrots, and swap pine nuts for toasted almonds, cashews, pepitas or sunflower seeds.

Sarah has shared the recipe below, so you can try it for yourself. Stock up on all the ingredients you need at Grand Plaza and don't let those leftovers go to waste any longer!

Roasted Sweet Potato, Avocado & Lentil Salad
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

·       1 sweet potato (unpeeled), cut into strips

·       2 Roma tomatoes, cut into quarters

·       2 tsp extra virgin olive 

·       1 tbsp dried Italian herbs

·       1 cup spinach, roughly chopped

·       1 cup French lentils, rinsed and drained  

·       400g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

·       1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 

·       100g feta, crumbled 

·       1 small avocado, sliced 

·       Sea salt 

·       Black pepper 

Dressing

·       1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

·       1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

·       1 tsp Dijon mustard 

·       1/2 lemon, juice squeezed 

·       1 tbsp pure maple syrup

·       1/4 cup basil leaves, finely chopped 

·       Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the sweet potato and Roma tomato quarters on separate roasting trays. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the dried Italian herbs. Mix with your hands. Roast the vegetables for about 30-35 minutes, until cooked through and golden (tomatoes may take slightly less time). 

2. Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the lentils to the pot and turn down to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 12-14 minutes. Drain, run through cold water and set aside. 

3. For the dressing: mix all ingredients in a small bowl or jar* and season to taste.

*Hot tip: Make your salad dressings by using an old jar with a tight-fitting lid. This simple trick allows you to easily combine your ingredients and evenly distribute the flavours throughout the dressing. Give the jar a good shake to create a smooth and well-emulsified dressing.

4. In a large bowl: add the spinach, lentils, chickpeas, half the pine nuts and crumble half the feta. Add half the dressing to the salad and toss together. Season well. 

5. Spread the lentil salad onto a large platter or into individual bowls. Top the lentil salad with the roasted sweet potato and Roma tomatoes pieces. Then follow with the avocado slices. Crumble over the remaining feta and add the remaining pine nuts. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve. 

With a little bit of imagination and creativity, you can take this recipe to the next level and make it your own. Add your own twist by experimenting with different vegetables or even substitute some ingredients to create a whole new flavour.

So, next time you're in the kitchen, think twice before tossing out those perfectly good scraps. Get creative and see how you can incorporate them into your meal. By making small changes like this, you can help reduce food waste and let your winter produce go even further.