Energising Post-Gym Workout Salad — a plant-based British recipe by BOSH!
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Energising Post-Gym Workout Salad

Right, this one came about because we were absolutely smashing the gym and needed something that actually made us feel good afterwards, not just full. It's got roasted sweet potato, fluffy quinoa, and loads of colour and crunch, and it genuinely tastes like something you'd pay a tenner for in a fancy health café. The flavours are earthy and satisfying but still feel light, and the textures are just brilliant together. Honestly, we keep coming back to this one week after week, it's that good. Make it tonight and see how good eating well can actually feel.

Cook: 40 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray
  • Second baking sheet
  • Mixing bowl
  • Sieve
  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 90g quinoa
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 100g kale or cavolo nero leaves (on the stalk)
  • ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 250g cooked lentils
  • 1 orange
  • 120g edamame beans
  • ½ orange, juiced (around 4 tsp)
  • 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • light drizzle of sesame oil
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 lime juice of, (around 4 tsp)
  • 1 tbsp mixed seeds
  • 1 avocado

Method

1

Prepare the sweet potato

  • Cut the unpeeled sweet potato into 2cm chunks, spread across a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper
  • Put the tray in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender
2

Whilst the sweet potato is roasting, prepare the quinoa

  • Rinse the quinoa and cook according to packet instructions with the stock cube dissolved into the water
  • Once cooked, spread out on a baking sheet to help it cool down quickly
3

Prepare the kale/cavolo nero and remaining ingredients

  • Destalk and shred the kale into a mixing bowl
  • Add a generous pinch of salt, generous squeeze of juice from the orange and drizzle extra virgin olive oil
  • Toss everything to coat and massage the kale for 2 minutes with your hands to soften
  • Place the edamame beans in a sieve and rinse under hot water until defrosted
  • Add the beans to the kale bowl along with the lentils, and toss gently to combine
4

Prepare the dressing

  • Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, and adjust seasoning to taste
5

Put the salad together

  • Add the quinoa and the sweet potato to the kale bowl
  • Halve, destone, peel and slice the avocado
  • Drizzle over the dressing and toss everything together, with a splash more extra virgin olive oil if needed
  • Divide between 4 bowls and top with the mixed seeds and avocado, and serve

Tips & Variations

  • Don't peel the sweet potato: We leave the skin on because it crisps up beautifully in the oven and adds a lovely texture. Just give it a good scrub before you chop it.
  • Batch cook the quinoa: Henry almost always makes a double batch at the start of the week and keeps it in the fridge. It's brilliant for throwing together quick lunches in minutes.
  • Add a tahini drizzle: Ian started drizzling a bit of tahini mixed with lemon juice over the top and honestly it takes the whole thing to another level. Give it a go.

Why This Works

The trick here is cooking the quinoa in stock rather than plain water, it adds a depth of flavour that makes a massive difference and stops it tasting bland. Spreading it out to cool on a baking sheet after cooking is one of those small things that's easy to skip but really worth doing, it keeps the grains separate and gives you that lovely light texture. Trust us on this one, it's the kind of detail that takes the whole salad up a notch.