Moroccan chicken and couscous salad with sweet potato soup

Capsicum and sun-dried tomato dressing

• 30 g Parmesan cheese, cut into pieces (3 cm)
• 1 garlic clove
• 100 g sun-dried tomatoes or semi sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• ½ red capsicum, deseeded and cut into quarters
• 120 g raw cashew nuts
• 70 g olive oil
• 20 g white vinegar
• 100 g lemon juice (approx. 2-3 lemons)

Moroccan chicken salad and sweet potato soup

• 400 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes (1 cm)
• 520 g chicken breast fillets, cut into cubes (2 cm)
• 160 g couscous, rinsed and drained
• 4 sprigs fresh coriander, leaves only
• 520 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces (4-5 cm)
• 130 g dried red lentils
• 1250 g water
• 2 tbsp Vegetable stock paste (see Tip)
• ⅛ tsp sea salt, to taste
• ⅛ tsp ground black pepper, to taste
• 150 - 200 g fresh baby spinach leaves
• 50 g dried cranberries or raisins (approx. 2 tbsp)
• 8 dried apricots, cut into pieces
• 6 sprigs fresh mint or fresh coriander, leaves only, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions/shallots, cut into thin slices
• 400 g canned chickpeas or canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained (approx. 250 g after draining)
• sea salt, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 7 fresh basil leaves, finely torn, for garnishing