Oat and Sweet Potato Salad

Serves 8

You can serve this salad as a main dinner course for a crowd, or toss it together on a lazy Sunday afternoon and you’ll be set for a week’s worth of healthy lunches.

1 Tbsp (20 ml) grapeseed oil, divided
1 cup (250 ml) oat groats
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups (500 ml) reduced-salt vegetable stock
450 g sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2/3 cup (160 ml) roughly chopped hazelnuts 
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 cups (500 ml) finely sliced kale (cavolo nero)
396 g can black beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup (160 ml) dried cherries or cranberries
½ cup (125 ml) diced feta cheese
3 tsp (15 ml) fresh thyme
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ Tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
3 tsp (15 ml) honey
¼ tsp (1 ml) black pepper
¼ tsp (1 ml) red chilli flakes

Heat 2 tsp (10 ml) grapeseed oil in medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add whole oats and cook, stirring often, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Add remaining grapeseed oil and onion; cook for 3 minutes more, stirring often. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 35 minutes, or until whole oats are tender but still chewy. Drain any excess liquid and let cool.

While oats cook, steam sweet potato until tender. In dry frying pan over medium heat, toast hazelnuts, shaking the pan occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes.

In large bowl toss together oats, sweet potato, carrots, kale, black beans, cherries or cranberries, feta and thyme.

In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, pepper and chilli flakes. Toss dressing with oat mixture. Serve garnished with hazelnuts.

Each serving contains: 1700 kilojoules; 11 g protein; 19 g total fat (3 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 51 g total carbohydrates (14 g sugars, 10 g fibre); 377 mg sodium

source: "Organic Oats", alive Australia #17, Spring 2013