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Roasted Beetroot, Radish and Lentil Salad with Mustard Dressing

Sweet roasted beetroot and peppery radishes tossed with Puy lentils, mixed leaves and a sharp mustard dressing. A vegan lunch with 12g of fibre, ready in 50 minutes, or 10 if you roast the beetroot ahead.

Lunch

50

Serves 2

A person in an apron holding a dark plate of mixed red and green salad leaves with roasted beetroot, thinly sliced radishes and fresh herbs

Ingredients

  • 300g/10½oz raw beetroot (beets, about 3 medium), peeled (wear gloves if you do not want pink hands) and cut into 2cm/¾in wedges
  • 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp (35ml) extra virgin olive oil: 1 tsp for roasting, 2 tbsp for the dressing
  • 1 x 250g (9oz) pouch plain cooked Puy or green lentils (not flavoured with stock)
  • 100g/3½oz radishes, thinly sliced
  • 80g/3oz mixed salad leaves, such as red leaf lettuce, rocket (arugula) and pea shoots
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp (5ml) maple syrup
  • A pinch of salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, 400F). Toss the beetroot with 1 teaspoon of the oil and a pinch of salt on a large baking tray and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning halfway, until tender when pierced with a knife and caramelised at the edges. Leave to cool slightly.
  2. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil with the vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
  3. Warm the lentils in the pouch as the packet says, or use them at room temperature, and toss with half the dressing.
  4. Arrange the leaves on two plates, top with the lentils, beetroot and radishes and spoon over the rest of the dressing.
  5. Roasted beetroot keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, so you can roast it ahead. Dress the salad just before eating. Not suitable for freezing.

Why it works

A plate gives you about 17g of protein and 12g of fibre for 423 calories, mostly from the lentils and beetroot.

Why roast the beetroot. Roasting concentrates the natural sugars in beetroot and caramelises the edges, a sweet contrast to the peppery radishes and sharp mustard dressing.

Why Puy lentils. Puy and green lentils hold their shape when cooked, so they suit salads better than red lentils, which turn soft. A ready-cooked pouch saves 25 minutes.

Why it is tagged for blood sugar. With 37g of carbohydrate and plenty of fibre and protein from the lentils, this salad is unlikely to cause a sharp rise in blood sugar.

Contains mustard. Pink or red urine after eating beetroot (beeturia) is usually harmless. For another lentil salad, try the halloumi, lentil and roasted vegetable salad.