Kale and roasted chickpea salad with creamy lemon-tahini dressing

• 1 can canned chickpeas400g can, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbs avocado oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 bunch curly kaleabout 200g, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbs tahini
• 2 tbs warm water
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 carrotsmedium, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 4 radishesthinly sliced
• 2 tbs roasted sunflower seeds
• 2 tbs dried cranberries
• ¼ tsp black pepper

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then spread them on a clean kitchen towel and pat very dry — roll them around gently to pop off any loose skins. The drier they are, the crispier they get.

   Tip: Removing loose skins is optional but gives you noticeably crunchier chickpeas.

2. 2

   Toss the dried chickpeas on the sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil, the smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, 0.5 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Spread into a single layer with space between them.

3. 3

   Roast for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through, until the chickpeas are deeply golden and crispy — they should rattle when you shake the pan. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes (they crisp up more as they cool).

   Tip: Don't crowd the pan — chickpeas need airflow to crisp rather than steam.

4. 4

   While the chickpeas roast, add the torn kale to a large mixing bowl. Squeeze in the juice from half the lemon, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, and sprinkle with the remaining 0.25 teaspoon of salt. Massage the kale firmly with your hands for about 2 minutes, scrunching and squeezing until the leaves turn darker green, soften, and reduce in volume by about half.

   Tip: Massaging breaks down the tough cell walls and removes bitterness — don't skip this step.

5. 5

   Make the dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, juice from the remaining lemon half, warm water, and maple syrup until smooth and pourable. If it's too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time — you want it to drizzle easily off a spoon.

6. 6

   Add the shaved carrots and sliced radishes to the kale and toss to combine. Drizzle the tahini dressing over the salad and toss again until everything is lightly coated.

7. 7

   Divide the salad between two bowls. Top with the crispy roasted chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries. Serve immediately so the chickpeas stay crunchy.

   Tip: Store leftovers with chickpeas separate — they soften in the fridge. Re-crisp them in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes if needed. Dressed kale keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days.

• sheet pan (half-sheet (18x13 inch))
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• large mixing bowl
• small mixing bowl
• vegetable peeler
• whisk

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.