California Quinoa and Avocado Salad

A winning recipe if you have an abundance of ripe avos to use up, with a tasty dressing that is addictive!

Ingredients:

Gluten free | Vegetarian

250g butternut squash, chopped into small chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
or rapeseed oil
120g pack thin-stemmed broccoli, cut into small pieces
250g pouch cooked quinoa
small handful coriander, leaves picked and chopped
small handful mint, leaves picked and chopped
4 spring onions, finely sliced on an angle
50g pomegranate seeds
20g pistachios, roughly chopped
1 small ripe avocado
juice ½ lemon
handful sprouts (alfalfa or china rose sprouts are nice) or baby herb leaves
For the dressing
1 tbsp tahini
½ small ripe avocado, stoned, peeled and roughly chopped
small handful coriander, leaves picked
small handful mint, leaves picked
zest and juice ½ lemon
2 tsp clear honey or maple syrup

Method:
  • Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with parchment.
  • Tip the butternut squash onto the tray, drizzle with 2 tsp oil and season well.
  • Roast for 20 mins, then push the squash to one end of the tray, add the broccoli to the other end and drizzle with 1 tsp oil. Season and roast for 10 mins more.
  • Meanwhile, make the dressing. Put all the ingredients in the small bowl of a food processor, add 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Blitz to make a loose dressing, adding a little more water if necessary.
  • Squeeze the pouch of quinoa to separate the grains, then tip into a large bowl.
  • Add the herbs, spring onions, pomegranate seeds and pistachios. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, season and toss everything together. Add the roasted veg too.
  • Divide the salad between two plates and drizzle over the dressing.
  • Halve the avocado and remove the stone, then slide a dessertspoon between the skin and flesh to remove it in one piece. Place on a chopping board, rounded side up, and thinly slice.
  • Squeeze over the lemon juice, then slide a knife underneath and lift half the avocado onto each salad.
  • Top with the sprouts and grind over a little pepper, if you like.

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