Nutritious and Delicious Rainbow Winter Salad

After a decadent December, I love to kick off the year with hearty, nutritious meals that are packed with vitamins.

One of my favourites is this simple rainbow roasted butternut squash and butter bean hummus salad, which either makes a great side dish, or can become a main with some pearl cous cous and grilled chicken.

Let's get the new year off to a tasty start!

Ingredients makes four portions

• 4 small potatoes (about 320g), skin-on, cut into wedges
• 320g butternut squash, cut into long thin slices
• 2 red and yellow or green peppers, deseeded and cut into big chunks
• 3 red onions (about 320g), cut into thick slices
• 200g carrots, halved lengthways and cut into thick slices
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 30g rocket, to serve

For the hummus

• 2 x 400g cans butter beans
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 25g walnuts, chopped 

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
2. Boil your potato wedges for 5 mins (be careful they don't get too soft and start to fall apart), then drain and leave them to steam dry. Tip all of the chopped vegetables, including the steam-dried potatoes, into a large shallow roasting tin where they can fit in one layer without overlapping, and toss gently with the oil and thyme. Pop into the hot oven and roast these for 25 mins.
3. While the veggies are roasting, this is when to make your hummus. Drain the butter beans, and keep the water to the side. Weigh 300g of the beans and put in a bowl with the garlic, smoked paprika, 1 tbsp of the rapeseed oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest and 3 tbsp of the bean water and blend until smooth. I like to do this with an immersion blender to keep an eye on the consistency, but a normal blender will work just fine. If it's too thick, add another 2 tbsp of the bean water for a smoother consistency. Once you've got the consistency you like, stir in your walnuts.
4. In a separate small bowl, mix 1 tbsp lemon juice with the remaining rapeseed oil.
5. Check the veggies after they've been in the oven for 25 minutes, and once they're soft, stir through the reserved beans and return the tray to the oven for 5 mins to warm through.
6. To serve, spread the hummus evenly over four plates. Top with the roasted vegetables then spoon over a little of the lemon and oil dressing. Scatter over the rocket and serve.

Enjoy!