Roasted Squash Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Chilli & Feta Cheese

Brimming with energy-boosting vitamins, healthy fats and phytonutrients, including the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene, which can help reduce inflammation as well as the risk of cancers and cardiovascular disease, this delicious and copious salad makes an excellent lunch or light supper and will support the immune system during training. Switch out the squash for pumpkin if you have it! Happy Halloween!

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Nutrition per serving:

• Energy (kcal) 305
• Protein (g) 9
• Carbohydrate (g) 23
• Of which sugars (g) 6
• Fat (g) 22
• Of which saturates (g) 6
• Salt (g) 1
• Fibre (g) 1

Ingredients to Serve: 4

• 1 medium queen’ squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp cumin seeds, crushed with a pestle & mortar
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 100g rocket leaves or similar peppery-tasting salad leaves
• 100g feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 small red chill, seeds removed and very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp white balsamic wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or pumpkin seed oil

To prepare:

1. Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Peel the squash, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut it lengthways, into wedges. Place the squash wedges in a bowl, drizzle over the oil and shake around so that they are well-coated with the oil. Lay the wedges onto a baking tray, sprinkle with a large pinch of sea salt, a few grinds of black pepper and the crushed cumin seeds. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelised. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

2. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/325°F/gas mark

3. Roast the pumpkin seeds on a flat baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

3. Arrange the salad leaves on a large, flat serving dish. Lay the squash slices on top and scatter with the pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, red chilli and coriander leaves.

4. Whisk together the oil and vinegar with a pinch of sea salt and drizzle over the salad just before serving.