Squash, Avocado & Chickpea Salad

This roasted butternut squash salad with avocado, beetroot and chickpeas is always a crowd-pleaser, especially if you don’t consider yourself a ‘salad person’. It’s hearty, satiating and full of flavour, as well as contrasting textures from the soft cubes of squash to the pumpkin seeds providing an element of crunch.

This recipe can be served as a main course or a side dish, as it ticks all the boxes: protein, complex carbs, healthy fats and plenty of gut-healthy fibre. Beetroots gets their deep colour from being jam-packed with antioxidants, while avocado is packed with essential nutrients, from B vitamins and folate to potassium and magnesium. The salad is finished with tangy lemon juice, rich in vitamin C, and polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil.

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Cut the butternut squash into cubes, removing the seeds. Place the butternut squash cubes on the baking tray and drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil, thyme sea salt and pepper.
3. Toss until all squash cubes are coated, then roast for 35 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile cut the beetroots into quarters and cut the avocados into chunks.
5. Drain the chickpeas in a sieve and rinse under tap water.
6. Assemble the salad by mixing all ingredients – the roasted squash, beetroot, avocado, chickpeas and pumpkin seeds.
7. Toss to combine, then squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle the remaining olive oil. Mix again and serve.