Fifth salad in the Sun & Seed series 🌻
And this one starts with a leaf that deserves far more respect than it usually gets: cavolo nero. Thick, dark, slightly stubborn. The kind of green that doesn’t really wake up until you give it a bit of attention.
So the first step is simple: a squeeze of lemon juice and a proper massage. After a minute or two the leaves soften, the colour deepens, and suddenly the whole thing becomes much more willing to play along.
For protein I added some beautiful lentils from @belazu_co. Nutty, earthy, and exactly the kind of ingredient that turns a bowl of greens into an actual meal rather than a side salad pretending to be one.
Then come what I like to call “bacon carrots.”
No meat involved — just a trick that works surprisingly well. Carrots shaved into thin ribbons and roasted in a hot pan until they start catching at the edges. A little paprika, maple syrup, and salt, and they caramelise into something smoky, sweet, and slightly crisp. Not bacon, obviously — but the same kind of savoury satisfaction.
The dressing brings in two heroes from @sun.and.seed. First their extra virgin olive oil, which at this point lives permanently on my kitchen counter. Then the toasted sunflower seed butter, adding a creamy, nutty body that pulls everything together.
Mixed with lemon juice, paprika, and a touch of cayenne, it turns into a warm, slightly spicy dressing that clings beautifully to the cavolo nero.
Everything goes into the bowl together: the lemony greens, the lentils, the smoky carrots, and a generous spoonful of that sunflower dressing.
Finished with sprouted sunflower seeds for crunch.
Simple ingredients.
Minimal structure.
Big flavour. 🥗
