BUCKWHEAT, BEETROOT & LENTIL SALAD

This recipe is what I love about my job. When people think to eat healthy, they think salad. That's a good start but it's always the old lettuce, tomato, cucumber, tomato combination.... SOOO boring!  I can honestly say I wouldn't have eaten that combo in years because when you discover salad recipes like this one you realise you can actually love the food you're eating and be healthy at the same time! Win win :) 

The key is to create some incredible flavour with just a few small tricks (roast beetroots, maple cinnamon pumpkin seeds, dijon dressing), add enough protein to bulk it up and keep you feeling full (combining plant proteins such a grain (buckwheat), and a legume (lentils)) and of course adding some green (spinach). If this seems like a meal you could eat regularly then perhaps you'd like me to plan your diet for 6 whole weeks?! Check out my studio website for more details.  

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 bunch mixed colour beetroot, trimmed
1 cup raw buckwheat, rinsed
1 x can brown lentils, drained and rinsed (I do prefer to cook dried lentils when time permits)
4 large handfuls of spinach
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup crumbled Fetta

Dressing: 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. Wrap the beetroot in foil and bake for 30-40minutes are until tender. Peel and halve.

Meanwhile, place the buckwheat in a saucepan with 2 cups of stock/water, bring to the boil and then cover and simmer for 15-20minutes until the water has been totally absorbed. Leave the lid on and set aside for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. 

Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry fry pan until starting to pop and turn slightly brown. Remove from the heat and drizzle over the maple syrup and cinnamon then mix well.

Combine the spinach, lentils, buckwheat, beetroot, pumpkin seeds and the fetta and drizzle over the dressing.