Elevate your meals: Roasted salads blend taste and health

Roasted salads are an excellent way to combine health with exquisite taste. By using a variety of spices and popular vegetables, you will not only enrich the flavour of the dishes but also enhance their health benefits.

Roasted salad is a great way to diversify your daily menu. Roasting vegetables brings out deeper flavours and makes them more aromatic and soft, while maintaining their valuable nutrients. Unlike traditional cold salads, the roasted version can be perfect for cooler days, providing a warm meal that will heat the body.

You can use virtually any combination of vegetables for roasted salads—from sweet potatoes, potatoes, and carrots, through zucchini, and bell peppers, to broccoli or cauliflower. Roasting vegetables not only intensifies their flavour but also makes them easier to digest and absorb by the body.

It's worth adding various spices to such salads, which will enhance the taste and support health. Red pepper is especially noteworthy, as it not only enriches dishes but also has beneficial effects on health. It contains capsaicin, a substance responsible for its characteristic heat, which can support metabolism by accelerating calorie burning and aiding in weight loss. Additionally, regular red pepper consumption can help maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Great options also include turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, or garlic, which are spices that can positively impact metabolism, help regulate blood sugar levels, and have anti-inflammatory properties while supporting immunity.

Roasted salad also provides an excellent opportunity to enrich it with healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado, or seeds. These additions will supply your body with essential fatty acids that support brain function, improve skin condition, and help maintain proper energy levels throughout the day.

This roasted salad is a true feast of flavours, full of aromatic ingredients that come together in perfect harmony. It's ideal as a light snack, a side dish for lunch, or a standalone meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers,
• 140 grams of marinated artichokes,
• 1 red onion,
• 100 grams Kalamata olives,
• 50 grams green olives,
• ½ teaspoon red peppercorns (to grind in a grinder or crush in a mortar),
• fresh thyme for serving.

Dressing:

• 60 millilitres olive oil,
• 1 tablespoon honey,
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard,
• a pinch of dried thyme,
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice,
• 1 teaspoon water.

Preparation:

1. Roasting the bell peppers: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds, and place them skin-side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for about 30 minutes until the skin is lightly charred and soft. Then remove the skin (it can be easily peeled off) and cut the peppers into strips.
2. Preparing the dressing: In a bowl, mix olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, dried thyme, lemon juice, and water. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you like, you can add a bit more honey or mustard, depending on your preference.
3. Salad assembly: Peel and thinly slice the onion. Cut Kalamata olives and green olives into smaller pieces. Drain artichokes from the marinade and cut them into smaller pieces. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients—roasted peppers, onion, artichokes, and olives.
4. Final combination: Grind red peppercorns in a grinder or crush in a mortar. Add them to the bowl with the salad, and then drizzle everything with the prepared dressing. Mix gently so that the ingredients combine well.
5. Serving: Finally, sprinkle the salad with fresh thyme leaves and serve. The salad tastes great, both warm and cold.

This delicious dish contains healthy fats from olives, olive oil, and vitamins from peppers and onions. Combining roasted vegetables with flavourful marinated artichokes and olives makes every bite tasteful. Perfect for any occasion.