Rainbow salad with Goat’s cheese

Here’s a brilliant way of getting your 5 a day all in one meal. It’s literally a rainbow of colourful vegetables and packed full of phytonutrients. Some of the veg are raw, so all their vitamin C is intact; some are cooked in olive oil as this enhances the absorption of beta-carotene and vitamin E. I add avocado for its heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and Goat’s cheese for its high protein content but you can substitute Feta or cottage cheese if you prefer.

Photo credit: http://www.adrianlawrencephotography.com/

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil

1 – 2 crushed garlic cloves

1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

½ red onion, sliced

¼ butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 carrot, cut into batons

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

Salad leaves

A handful of cherry tomatoes

½ avocado

125g (4oz) Goat’s cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/ fan 180 C/ Gas 6.

Toss the pepper, onion, butternut squash carrot and sweet potato in the olive and garlic in a large roasting tin. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender.

Arrange the salad leaves, tomatoes and avocado on two plate. Pile the cooked vegetables on top and top with crumbled Goat’s cheese.