When I was younger, salad was defined as lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber and, if we were lucky, coleslaw and potato salad. My grandma also used to include spring onions, celery and occasionally mustard and cress. How things have moved forward! This salad is so colourful and delicious and once the butternut squash has roasted, it takes no time at all to put together and since it's bursting with nutritional goodness it's ideal to eat as a main course as well as a side.
Butternut Squash, Beetroot & Avocado Salad GF SCD
8 handfuls of watercress and rocket leaves
½ medium butternut squash
2 cooked beetroot
½ - 1 ripe avocado
½ lemon or lime juiced
40 - 60 g walnuts
25 g hulled pumpkin seeds
4 - 8 sage leaves (depending on their size)
basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper (optional)
walnut oil (optional)
This is just a guide to the quantities, you can add more or less of each main ingredient as you choose.
Set the oven to 180°C. Peel and chop the butternut squash into bite sized cubes and spread out on a baking tray. Finely chop the sage leaves.
Sprinkle the chopped sage over the butternut squash and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Sprinkle with freshly ground sea salt and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until soft, take out of the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a low light, tip the pumpkin seeds into the pan and toast them until they start to pop. Set on one side to cool.
Chop the beetroot into bite small cubes.
Slice the avocado into small chunks and dip in the lime or lemon juice to prevent it from going brown.
Chop the walnuts finely. Chop the basil leaves or use greek basil which is beautifully fragrant and doesn't require chopping.
Arrange the salad straight onto the plate. Take a couple of handfuls of watercress and rocket leaves then arrange the butternut squash, beetroot and avocado chunks on top. Lastly, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts and basil leaves.
If you wish, drizzle some walnut oil and grind some black pepper over the top of the salad.
