The important thing with this superfood salad, is that you don’t have to follow it exactly. For example, if you don’t have chestnut mushrooms, no stress. We’re making a beautiful salad here and you can be creative in the process. I’ve put some ingredients as optional extras that will make it extra special. This recipe is adapted from the wonderful Leon – Ingredients and Recipe Book.
Serves 4
2-3 raw beetroot
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 squash, peeled and chopped into 3cm dice
60g fresh or frozen peas
3 tablespoons toasted seeds (sesame, linseeds, sunflower or pumkin – or a mix of them all!)
150g red cabbage, finely shredded
Optional extras:
1/2 head of broccoli
3 tablespoons quinoa
6 vine-ripened tomatoes, halved lengthways
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / gas mark 6
- Take all but one of the golden beetroots, peel and chop into cubes. Toss with vegetable oil and put in a baking sheet or tray into the oven, making sure the beets are in a single layer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- If using tomatoes, lay the cut side facing heavenwards, season with salt and drizzle liberally with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Pop them into the oven for around an hour on the bottom shelf.
- Put the cubes of squash onto another baking tray and roll them in a little oil and plenty of seasoning. Roast them in the oven on the middle shelf for 45 minutes, then stir moving everything around.
- When the veg are done, leave them to cool. Put another couple of tablespoons of oil into a hot frying pan and saute the garlic for a moment, swiftly followed y the mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice and get them out of the pan in less than 4 minutes.
- If using broccoli and quinoa: Cut the broccoli florets off the trunk and blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes with the peas, then drain and run them under cold water until completely cooked. Stir the quinoa into the broccoli water and simmer for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Grate the remaining beetroot and mix with the shredded cabbage.
- Start building your labour of love. Start with the cabbage and beetroot mix on the bottom, then the broccoli, peas, tomatoes, mushrooms, toasted seeds.