M&S-style nutty super wholefood salad

I mentioned in my last post that my favourite Marks and Spencer salad is their nutty super wholefood salad. Featuring green beans, peas, broccoli, carrots, black-eyed beans and quinoa plus peanuts, almonds and pistachios, it is absolutely packed with delicious ingredients. A dollop of hummous and a soy and ginger dressing finish the everything off.

Whilst I have no qualms about buying prepared salads on occasion, it's obviously nice to make them at home when possible. It saves money, for one, but it also allows you to customise ingredients and portions - and make up a batch to cover lunches for several days if you're so inclined. With salads like this one, it's also a good way to use up leftover grains or vegetables.

There are a few takes on this M&S salad online already, some following it extremely closely and others using it as a springboard for inspiration. My version is somewhere in between. Like the M&S original, my salad featured green beans, peas, broccoli, quinoa, almonds, hummous and a soy and ginger dressing. I omitted the carrots, black-eyed beans, peanuts and pistachios, but added butter beans, pecans and brown basmati rice (a half-half mix with the quinoa because I had some already cooked). In truth, small beans (black-eyed or otherwise) are probably better suited to this than butter beans, but you can use whatever you have to hand.

I often seem to make dishes that serve three, giving me an initial portion and then two leftover work lunches, or if it's a meal Mr Bite is eating, one leftover work lunch. Up the quantities slightly if you are serving four, or if you want a more substantial dinner-based meal, you could divide this between two and be very satisfied after eating.

M&S-style nutty super wholefood salad

A close equivalent to the store-bought original, which is packed full of nutrition and flavour

Vegan and easily gluten free

Serves 3

Author: Bite-sized thoughts, adapted from the Marks and Spencer's salad

Print recipe

Ingredients

2 broccoli florets, finely chopped (no need to cook)

1/2 cup green beans, lightly cooked

1/2 cup peas, lightly cooked

3/4 cup cooked butter beans

1 cup each of cooked quinoa and brown basmati rice, or use a mix of your choosing

1 tbs soy sauce

Approx. 1 cm fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp water or oil

3 tbsp hummus

6 whole almonds, roughly chopped

6 whole pecans, roughly chopped

Method

Combine the vegetables and quinoa/rice in a bowl and mix to combine. 

In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the soy sauce, grated ginger and water/oil. Pour over the salad and stir through.

Divide the salad between three bowls or plates and top each with a 1 tbsp hummous and a third of the chopped nuts.

Can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Have you made any take-away / store-bought meals at home?

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