Butternut Squash, Red Onion and Chickpea Salad Recipe - Quick, Healthy & Ready in 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp allspice powder
• 1 x medium butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped into small bite-sized chunks.
• 2 cans chickpeas (400gr / 14 oz.) drained and rinsed
• ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper (more if you want more of a kick of heat)
• Optional – some feta cheese
• A large handful of fresh flat leaved parsley chopped finely
• 1 clove of garlic (raw) grated finely
• 1 tbsp of honey
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• A handful of fresh mint leaves chopped finely
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp of paprika powder
• A good grind of black pepper
• 2 x red onions, chopped into small bite sized pieces
• 2 x red peppers, de-seeded and also chopped into small bite-sized squares.
• Salt to taste
• 3 spring onions (scallions) chopped finely

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200C/400F.
2. Place the vegetables for roasting, the oil and the black pepper (not salt as this can make your veggies watery instead of giving them a crispy, caramalised finish) into a roasting tin, mix through with your hands to coat everything in the oil.
3. Place in the oven until they are cooked through, softened, but not mushy, and have taken on some colour. This can take anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes depending on the size you have cut your veggies and also each oven is slightly different, making cooking times variable.While the vegetables are roasting, mix up the ingredients for the salad dressing and set aside. This will be a thick dressing, but it coats everything nicely!Also whilst you wait on the vegetables, mix up the salad ingredients in your serving bowl.When the vegetables have been roasted, remove from the oven, add a little salt, mix through check for seasoning, and pour into your salad bowl with the salad ingredients, add the dressing and stir through, firmly, but carefully. You want to coat everything evenly with as least tosses as possible without being so rough that you mush everything together.
4. Sprinkle some feta over as you serve should you wish.This salad can be served warm or at room temperature. It keeps really well in the fridge for a few days.