Category: nature

Roasted Butternut Squash, Kiwi Fruit & Pomegranate Salad (Vegan)

Hello! I made this simple yet incredibly sumptuous salad to take to a New Year’s Eve party and it was so popular with the guests that I thought I would share my recipe with you today. Would love to know what you think?

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium sized Butternut Squash
  • 2 Large, ripe Kiwi Fruit (or three small ones)
  • 1 Pomegranate
  • Bag of  of Watercress & Rocket salad leaves
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive oil for roasting

Salad Dressing

  • 3 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Teaspoons of Wholegrain Mustard
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Maple Syrup
  • Mix all the ingredients together in a jar with a lid

Method

  • Preheat Oven at 200c; 180c Fan; gas mark 6 or 400f
  • Peel the butternut squash. I find it easier to use a potato peeler for this!
  • Cut the butternut squash into pieces roughly a few millimeters in depth and 2/3 inches long
  • Roast on a baking tray in the middle of the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes until slightly golden brown around the edges. Whilst the butternut squash is roasting:
  • Peel the kiwi fruit and slice thinly
  • Hold the pomegranate and bash around the outside with a wooden spoon to loosen the seeds before cutting the fruit in half
  • Scrape the seeds out into a bowl. Separate the juice from the seeds. The juice will make a lovely drink to accompany the salad!
  • Empty the salad leaves into your serving bowl.
  • Allow the squash to cool down once it has finished roasting
  • Scatter the butternut squash & kiwi fruit out on top of the leaves. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
  • Pour your preferred amount of dressing over the salad just before serving.
  • And Enjoy!

Healthy tip

Today, we live in an environment where we are exposed to millions of toxins; some of which are completely unavoidable. To combat the damage that these chemicals can cause on a cellular level in our bodies, and to maintain good health, we need to be eating a huge variety of colourful vegetables and fruit which are packed full of antioxidants, the compounds necessary to fight oxidation in our cells.

Not only is this salad super tasty. It is also super healthy. Just by looking at the colours will give you an idea that the ingredients are rich in a broad range of antioxidants.

The combination of  textures and flavours of the butternut squash, kiwi fruit and pomegranate in this salad work incredibly well together. I found that in conjunction with the peppery watercress and rocket, all the ingredients complement each other really well. In addition, the tangy dressing enhances the flavour of this salad beautifully and will wow your taste buds no end.

The butternut squash contains complex carbohydrates  and a wealth of micro-nutrients to support a healthy immune function. The yellow-orange colour reflects the beta carotene content which is converted to Vitamin A in the body. This is essential for healthy skin, good eye sight, supports mucous membranes in the body and overall immune system.

Pomegranate seeds are abundant in antioxidants and polyphenols which help fight off damage to our cells. They are a good source of fibre and rich in Vitamin A, C & E. Don’t forget that Vitamin C & E work in synergy helping to combat the damage caused by free radicals in the body. They are considered to be two of the most important antioxidants for cell repair.

Did you know that Kiwi fruit are also amazingly high in Vitamin C? They contain more of this vitamin than citrus fruits. The leafy greens are a wealth of essential fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and so much more. I don’t consider a salad to be a salad without the greenery!

The dressing for this salad is also rich in polyphenols, healthy fats and gut friendly probiotics giving you the permission to be really liberal and use as much as you like!

So all in all, this colourful salad gets a huge thumbs up and scores very highly in my books as well as in the ANDI (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index). https://www.drfuhrman.com/library/eat-to-live-blog/128/andi-food-scores-rating-the-nutrient-density-of-foods

Using only 100% natural skincare is also a fantastic way of protecting our cells from free radical damage. Take a look at Tropic’s range of skincare which is loaded with some of the world’s most nutritious, botanical ingredients and antioxidants of the highest potency. Using Tropic will also detox and improve your skin no end! https://tropicskincare.com/pages/claireking