Crispy Leek, Grilled Asparagus and Roast Sweet Potato Salad

with soft-boiled egg, caramelised onions and balsamic mushrooms

(serves 2)

So... if i have to eat salad to 'be healthy', it may as well be a tasty and filling salad right? This recipe makes me think of what my almost-vego friends Elaine and Sririn would order if we were out at brunch, whilst i would usually opt for bacon and eggs lol..

Now that i have stopped officially training, i need to get out of the 'carb-loading, high training' mentality and try and work out how much 'normal people' eat again...

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 25 min

Ingredients:
1 medium Sweet potato
1 bunch Asparagus
1 Leek
1/2 Spanish onion
5-8 Brown mushrooms
1-2 Eggs
150g mix Lettuce leaves
1-2 tsp Sesame oil
1 tsp Sesame seeds
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Dressing:
Garlic olive oil
Caramelised balsamic vinegar

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
2. Peel and cut the sweet potato into 3cm x 1cm strips and dress with salt, olive oil, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for approx 20-25 minutes until crisp, turning after 10 minutes.
3. Cut approx 2cm off the ends of the asparagus and cut into 3cm strips. Dress with salt, pepper and olive oil. Grill on a sandwich press or under the grill until soft.
4. Cut the leek into thin strips diagonally and then in half. Cut the spanish onion into thin rings.
5. Peel and halve the mushrooms.
6. Heat a saucepan on medium-high heat, add in 1 T olive oil and add the spanish onion and leek on separate sides of the pan, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until softened.
7. Bring the heat back up to high and continue to cook the leek on one side of the pan until crisp, then remove and set aside. Add 1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar to the onions to caramelise them. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.
8. Add the mushrooms into the pan with salt, pepper and olive oil. Cook the mushrooms until soft, then add in 1-2 tsp of balsamic vinegar to soften and add flavour to them!

9. Meanwhile, soft-boil the egg (approx 6 minutes in boiling water).
10. Dress the salad leaves with the garlic olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the leek, asparagus, mushrooms, caramelised onion and sweet potato.
11. To serve, cut the egg in half and serve on top!