Winter Butternut squash and quinoa salad
Ingredients
600g butternut squash peeled & deseeded
175g Quinoa
400ml of hot vegetable stock.
Zest & juice of 1 lemon.
4 spring onions
3tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley.
10 chestnut mushrooms
5 tender broccoli stems
Sea salt & black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil.
This tasty & healthy salad is the perfect type of meal to support your detox efforts & it is warming too which is especially important over the winter months.
Instructions
Pre-heat the grill
Cut the butternut squash into 2cm chunks and place in a roasting tin. Drizzle over with 1 tbsp of coconut oil, season well with sea salt & black pepper & toss to mix.
Place under the pre-heated hot grill & cook for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until the squash is tender & lightly charred.
Place the quinoa in a sieve & rinse it under cold water. Place in a medium saucepan with the hot stock, bring to the boil then cover with a lid & simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the spring onions & cook for a further 8-10 minutes.
Drain the quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve then put it back in the pan & leave it covered for 10 minutes.
Place the cooked butternut squash in a large bowl with the 1 tbsp olive oil, juice & zest of a lemon, onions, parsley & pomegranate seeds. When ready this dish can be served warm or cold.
Benefits
Butternut squash is a popular winter vegetable. It is low in calories & is a rich source of dietary fibre & phyto-nutrients.
It is rich in vitamin A, which is a powerful anti-oxidant & is required by the body for maintaining the integrity of skin & our cell membranes.
Quinoa is a fantastic protein rich super grain & contains almost nine essential amino acids. It has almost twice as much fibre than other grains, & contains iron which supports & keeps red blood cells healthy. It also contains lysine which is essential for tissue growth & repair. Quinoa is also high in B2 & magnesium.
This delicious salad will completely satisfy your taste buds & is packed full of phyto-nutrients, fibre, protein, vitamins & minerals.
It makes a satisfying lunch or dinner & for additional flavour tahini compliments this dish perfectly.
