Quinoa and avocado salad

Suitable for: Vegetarians & Vegans
Serves: 2

Nutrients:

Ingredients

• 250g butternut squash, chopped into small chunks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado
• 100g pack thin-stemmed broccoli, cut into small pieces
• 250g pouch cooked quinoa *
• Handful coriander, leaves picked and chopped
• Small handful mint leaves, chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 40g pomegranate seeds
• 15g pistachios * roughly chopped
• Juice ½ lemon

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp tahini *
• ½ small ripe avocado, stoned, peeled and chopped
• small handful coriander leaves
• small handful mint leaves
• Zest and juice ½ lemon
• 2 tsp clear honey * or maple syrup *

Method

Step 1
Heat the oven to 200c/180 fan/gas mark 6. Then line a baking tray with parchment. Add the butternut squash to the tray and drizzle over the olive oil, before seasoning well. Roast the squash for approximately 25 minutes, before adding the broccoli (also drizzled) and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Step 2
Now you need to begin to prepare the dressing. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add a splash of water before blitzing to make a loose dressing.

Step 3
Tip your pouch of cooked quinoa into a large bowl. Throw in the herbs, spring onions, pomegranate seeds and pistachios. Add a splash of olive oil, season and gently toss everything together. Remove the roasted veg from the oven and add.

Step 4
Serve up the salad and drizzle the dressing over it. Chop your avocado in half, removing the stone, before sliding a dessertspoon between the skin of it to pull the flesh away. Now dice up your avocado into small chunks. Throw on top of the salad and squeeze a little lemon juice over the top of it all.