Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Quinoa

Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF).

Rinse and cut squash into bite size cubes. Get rid of the skin by trimming off each cube or peel it beforehand.

Transfer squash onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle some olive oil over (about 1 tablespoon).

Bake for 30–35 minutes or until soft throughout. 15 minutes into baking, open the oven and toss the squash pieces around (use a fork or spatula).

Meanwhile, rinse quinoa and transfer it in a small/medium sauce pan. Cook according to the package instructions (I use 1 part quinoa, 3 parts water).

Collect the seeds (arils) of the pomegranate and dice avocados (first cut in half, remove the stone, scoop out the flesh and dice).

Prepare the honey dressing (optional) by mixing honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.

Once the squash is cooked throughout and has a nice brown color, take it out from the oven. Transfer to a serving plate/bowl or serve on a baking tray (this way the salad stays warm for longer). Throw in pomegranate seeds, quinoa and diced avocado.

Squeeze lemon over (optional) or drizzle with honey dressing (optional). Serve as a starter, main or a side dish.

Note: Some shops might sell butternut squash peeled and sliced. If you buy this, then you can reduce the amount of squash by about 200 grams or 7 ounces.