Sweet potatoes are really good for us, as they contain lots of antioxidants and vitamins. This salad is very grounding and nourishing, as well as being delicious - the sweetness of the potato, the peppery spices, the slight bitterness of the leaves, the lemony dressing and the crunch of the almonds work really well together. The watercress is great for cleansing.
Serves 2 as a light meal
1 medium, orange-fleshed sweet potato, peeled and diced into 2.5cm cubes
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
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2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp Bengali five-seed mix (also called panch phoran seeds), or use cumin seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
40g small watercress leaves
15g whole almonds, blanched, lightly roasted and split down the middle
50g soft goat's cheese
For the dressing
1 3/4 tsp lemon juice
4 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp garlic paste
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Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Place the potato and onion on a small baking tray. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the seeds. Sizzle for 10 seconds over a low heat, then pour over the vegetables, season and mix well. Place the vegetables in the oven and roast for 45-50 minutes until soft.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. When you're ready to serve, pour the dressing straight onto the vegetables on the baking tray and toss well to coat, then add the leaves and almonds. Continue to stir until well amalgamated. Plate up and serve warm with the goat's cheese crumbled on top.
Recipes extracted from The Nordic Diet by Trina Hahnemann, photographs by Lars Ranek (Quadrille £12.99; offer price, £11.69 inc p&p); and Anjum's Eat Right for Your Body Type, photographs by Lisa Linder (Quadrille £14.99; offer price, £13.49 inc p&p). To order at the offer prices, call The Sunday Times Bookshop on 0845 271 2135 or visit timesonline.co.uk/bookshop