Another superb salad from the Thrive on Five book by Nina and Jo Littler.

I made a couple of small changes – as I had a sweet potato handy, I used it instead of squash and it worked well.  I also discovered that I had bought a packet of ready-cooked Puy Lentils so I reheated them in boiling water and then poured this over the spinach.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large beetroot, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (160g)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to dress
¼ butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces (160g)
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces (160g)
60g green lentils or Puy lentils (about 160g when cooked)
80g baby spinach leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
80g frozen peas defrosted
Leaves from a small bunch of mint
Small bunch of coriander finely chopped
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (30g)
50g goat’s cheese, or feta

METHOD:

Toss the beetroot in olive oil then place on a baking tray and roast for about 15 minutes at 200°C. Toss the squash and onions in oil and add to the tray after 15 minutes and continue roasting until all the vegetables are cooked but still firm, about  another 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse the lentils then cook according to the packet instruction. They should still hold their shape, so be careful not to overcook them.

Put the spinach in a colander and tip the cooked lentils over the leaves so they wilt slightly. While warm, season with salt and pepper.

Mix the warm lentils with the peas and roasted vegetables, mint and coriander. Add more seasoning if necessary.

Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry frying pan until golden. Sprinkle the seeds over the salad and crumble over the cheese and a little more olive oil.

Roast Beetroot, Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad with Goat’s Cheese

A spectacular salad of vibrant colours and contrasting textures.  Very filling and satisfying.  On making this again, which I will definitely do, I will probably add more beetroot as we love the flavour of roasted beetroot.