Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad

Ingredients

• For the Crunchy Seeds:
• cup sunflower seeds
• cup raw pumpkin seeds
• cup white sesame seeds
• For the Salad:
• 1 pound medium carrots, peeled
• 1 teaspoons cumin seeds (toasted if you like)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• teaspoon chile flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 oranges, halved
• 2 lemons, halved
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into thin wedges
• cup sour cream or lebneh/Greek-style yogurt
• 3 cups micro greens or sprouts (i used about 1/3 cup of flowering tips and delicate herbs from a local salad mix)

Directions

Toast the seeds: Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit, and spread the seeds on a baking sheet. Toast, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and starting to color, but not golden brown (5-7 minutes). Set aside to cool, leaving the oven on.

While you’re toasting the seeds, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the carrots and simmer until a knife pierces them easily, about 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a roasting pan.

In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound together the cumin seeds, garlic, thyme, chili flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and pepper. Pound until crushed and pasty, then add the vinegar and 1/4 cup of the olive oil, mixing to combine. Pour over the carrots, and shake them around until they’re well-coated.

Place 2 of the orange halves and two of the lemon halves on top of the carrots, cut side down. Roast until the carrots are golden brown, 25 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted orange and lemon juice out, and squeeze the juice from the fresh citrus. Measure out 1/4 cup of this mixture (i drank the rest), mix in the remaining two tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the roasted carrots on four plates, and drizzle with a bit of dressing. Divide the avocado and sprouts on top, add more dressing, then top with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with the seeds. Serve.