Salad of roasted squash, beetroot and feta cheese

Image source: Daily Mail

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into small wedges

4-6 small-medium raw beetroot, washed and cut into wedges

1tbsp olive oil

1 bag of rocket, watercress and spinach salad leaves

200g (7oz) feta cheese

50g pine nuts, lightly toasted

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

3tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200degrees C/gas 5. Place the butternut squash and beetroot in a roasting tray, toss in 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-45 minutes (depending on the size of the pieces), until tender and the squash is just becoming golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly, or leave until completely cool if you prefer a cold salad. Arrange the salad leaves on a large platter or divide up onto individual plates along with the squash and beetroot. Place spoonfuls of the goat’s cheese on
top, and scatter with the mustard cress and pine nuts.
Mix together the balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
Adapted from Daily Mail recipe

Quick and easy lentil salad

This is just as good if you use dried lentils and cook them first (follow the instructions on the packet, throwing a couple of peeled cloves of garlic into the cooking water, but not salt which will toughen the lentils if added before they are properly soft).

Ingredients

• 4 rashers of thin cut streaky bacon
• 3 tbsp olive oil a sachet or tin of cooked puy lentils
• a clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• a handful of frisee lettuce

Method

• Heat a frying pan to very hot, and add 1tbsp oil.
• Snip the bacon across into strips with a pair of scissors and add to the pan.
• Cook briskly for a minute, then add the lentils, rinsed if they came from a tin, and a splash of water (or stock).
• Crush in the clove of garlic and cook, stirring constantly until really hot.
• Taste and season with salt, pepper and maybe a splash of chilli sauce, or a little more oil if the bacon wasn’t very fatty.
• Serve tumbled over the frisee lettuce.

Source: Telegrah Food & Drink

Watch video of recipe here