Vegan Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin and Kale

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Peel the pumpkin, carrots, and shallots. Cut the pumpkin into 1-2 cm cubes, halve the carrots lengthwise and slice diagonally, and cut the shallots into rough pieces. Add the unpeeled garlic clove and place everything in a large bowl.
3. Mix 2 tbsp olive oil with the tamari, maple syrup, grated ginger, and dried thyme. Add 1-2 tbsp water to make a creamy marinade.
4. Pour the marinade over the vegetables, season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes, and mix well with your hands until evenly coated.
5. Spread the vegetables evenly on the prepared baking tray and roast in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.
6. Meanwhile, bring the quinoa to a boil in a pot with slightly more than double the amount of water and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer for about 20 minutes until cooked.
7. At the end of cooking, squeeze the garlic clove out of its skin and mash it with a fork.
8. Halve the cranberries and mix them into the hot, cooked quinoa.
9. Wash the kale thoroughly and spin dry. Remove tough stems, then cut the leaves into thin strips.
10. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a nonstick pan and sauté the kale for 4-5 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed. Remove from heat and season with coarse sea salt.
11. Combine the quinoa and cranberries with the kale in a large bowl. Add the roasted vegetables, scraping any marinade from the baking sheet into the bowl.
12. Roughly chop the pecans. Wash and dry the cilantro, then roughly chop the leaves and thin stems. Add both to the salad and mix gently.
13. Season the salad with lime juice, additional olive oil if desired, salt, and pepper to taste.