Warm lentil, roasted squash, feta salad

This is such a satisfying, hearty winter/spring salad. The feta adds creaminess and a freshness, while the squash brings semi sweetness and the vinaigrette has a salty umami zing. As a salad lover this is a slow return to the world of raw foods while incorporating cooked and warmth which supports digestion in the winter & spring.

You could swap the squash for regular pumpkin, roasted courgette or even asparagus if you prefer. Adding some black olives wouldn’t hurt either.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

1/2 kabocha squash, washed, deseeded & cut into roughly 3cm slivers

1 courgette, sliced lengthwise

2 tbsp avocado oil

salt & pepper

2 celery sticks, diced

1 onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

250g / 1 cup brown or beluga lentils

1 veggie stock cube (check ingredients - no E-numbers or preservatives)

700-800 ml water (you can also use bone broth)

half a block of feta

lemon zest

2 stalks of thyme

1 sheet of kombu (optional)

150ml dry white wine

handful of salad leaves

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp miso

1/tbsp Tamari or shoyu soy

1/2 crushed garlic

1 tsp maple syrup or honey

2 tbsp AVC or fresh lemon juice

4-5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C or 356 degrees F.

2. Place the pumpkin slices on parchment paper on a baking tray. Drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle a little salt & pepper over the top. After 10min add the courgette to another baking tray, drizzle with avo oil and salt & pepper and add to the oven with the squash. Bake for another 15-20 min, you want the slices cooked through yet crisp and golden on-top.

3. Rinse the lentils thoroughly.

4. In a large thick bottomed pan fry the celery, carrot and onion in 1 tbsp avocado oil for 2-3min.

5. Now add the lentils and the wine and thyme stalks, allow the wine to evaporate slightly.

6. Add the liquid (water or bone broth), kombu sheet and crumble in the stock cube and bring to a simmer.

7. Allow to cook for 20-30 min, taste towards 20 min and add a little more liquid if it looks dry. You want the lentils to maintain their shape but not be hard.

8. While the lentils cook and the squash & courgette bakes whisk together the vinaigrette.

9. Allow the lentils & pumpkin to cool slightly before transferring them into a bowl. Add the feta and then the salad leaves and then dress with the vinaigrette.

This salad goes really well with duck breast or confit duck leg, lamb sausage also works well.