A vibrant broccoli stalk and seasonal leaves salad with a bright citrus dressing, crispy chickpeas, and toasted lemon chilli crumbs. A delicious way to reduce food waste and turn humble ingredients into something truly special.
Sometimes the best recipes start with what’s left behind. This salad was born from a challenge to use up food scraps — broccoli stalks, stale bread, and citrus that might otherwise go to waste — and it’s become one of my most surprisingly delicious creations. The broccoli stalks are sliced into crisp batons and layered with a mix of seasonal leaves, herbs, and feta. A zesty citrus dressing brings it all to life, while the toasted lemon chilli crumbs and crispy chickpeas add that all-important crunch and contrast.
It’s a bit of a labour of love, but each component earns its place — and together, they create something vibrant, satisfying, and full of texture. This salad proves that with a little creativity, “waste” ingredients can become the hero of the plate.
I love that this salad feels both nourishing and thoughtful — the kind of dish that makes you pause and appreciate how much can come from so little. Serve it as a main course with grilled fish or chicken, or let it shine on its own as a centrepiece salad for lunch.
A vibrant broccoli stalk and seasonal leaves salad with a bright citrus dressing, crispy chickpeas, and toasted lemon chilli crumbs. A delicious way to reduce food waste and turn humble ingredients into something truly special.
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For the Salad
Citrus dressing
Toasted Lemon Chilli Crumbs
Crispy Chickpeas:
Citrus Dressing:
Toasted Crumbs with Lemon & Chili:
Crispy Chickpeas:
Construct and Serve the Salad:
A few small things can make this salad even easier and more versatile:
You can prep the dressing, crumbs, and crispy chickpeas in advance — they all keep well and make the final salad come together in minutes. All three are also lovely finishing touches for other dishes — try them on roasted vegetables or the crumbs and chickpeas on soups.
Swap the herbs to suit what’s in season or what you have on hand — parsley, basil, or even dill work nicely.
Kia ora, and welcome to Māia.
I believe food should be nourishing, joyful, and shared. Māia is about giving you confidence in the kitchen and making the everyday a little more delicious. I’m Colleen, and I’m so glad you’re here
Have a question, recipe idea, or just want to say kia ora? Drop me a message below — I’d love to hear from you!
A few small things can make this salad even easier and more versatile:
You can prep the dressing, crumbs, and crispy chickpeas in advance — they all keep well and make the final salad come together in minutes. All three are also lovely finishing touches for other dishes — try them on roasted vegetables or the crumbs and chickpeas on soups.
Swap the herbs to suit what’s in season or what you have on hand — parsley, basil, or even dill work nicely.
