Squash & Roquefort Salad.
This salad is so vibrant and full of flavour. If you like strong-flavoured blue cheese, this one is for you! Chose an unpasteurised blue cheese made with raw milk, to reap the full benefits of the friendly bacteria (Roquefort & Gorgonzola usually are but check the packet). Naturally this wouldn’t be suitable for pregnant women, but you can substitute for a pasteurised cheese in this case. The quinoa, kale, seeds, and squash provide lots of fibre, and the raw honey is a prebiotic. Seeds are anti-inflammatory too.
This is part of the Gut Health series, in collaboration with Personal Trainer and Women’s Health Expert, Nancy Best (Founder of Ladies Who Crunch).
Ingredients.
Approx. half a butternut squash, deseeded and cut into approx. 2cm chunks (skin-on)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Drizzle of honey, around 1 tsp (as we are cooking this honey, you can you any type)
Approx. 50g kale, washed
1 cup cooked quinoa, either prepared at home and allowed to cool, or a pre-prepared packet will work
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
50-80g Roquefort, quantity will vary depending on the strength of your cheese and personal preference – taste it and decide how much you want to include
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
For the Dressing:
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp raw honey
Generous pinch of salt
Freshly ground black Pepper, to taste
Equipment.
sharp knife & chopping board
ovenproof tray
bowls for mixing (dressing, salad, kale etc)
Method.
1. Preheat oven to 200c
2. Cook quinoa as per packet and allow to cool
3. Cover the squash in the oil, salt, pepper and honey, and place on a baking tray in the oven for around 35mins, or until completely soft and caramelised around the edges. Allow to cool a little before assembling the salad
4. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and set aside
5. Massage the kale between your hands with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for a few minutes. This is an important step to break down the fibres and soften the kale - it will be very tough if you skip it. Also remove any hard piece of stalk you come across
6. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a hot dry pan for a few minutes until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn as they can become bitter
7. Toss the kale, quinoa and squash in the salad dressing and serve with the Roquefort (break into chunks), toasted seeds and pomegranate seeds on top
