Mmmm, look at that bowl of health- proteiney, vitaminey, health. And it was delicious too – what more do you want? Dark green lentils and quinoa together, rather than one or the other, have proved to be a textural treat, and the salty mackerel mixed with sweet, juicy squash make for a great flavour balance too.
Tastes good hot, tastes good cold, and wouldn’t be too bad with some pomegranate either.
Click through for recipe.
Ingredients – serves 4
100g quinoa (dry)
100g dried green lentils
1 butternut squash, cubed
2 smoked mackerel fillets
1teaspoon of chilli flakes
a few sprigs of thyme
1 clove of garlic
half a bag of Italian salad leaves
a few green beans, chopped into bite-size chunks
2 small spring onions, sliced
salt/pepper/oil
Directions
Toss squash in a little oil and chilli flakes and stick in the oven at 180C for 45mins.
Meanwhile, add the lentils, thyme and garlic to a pan with at least double the amount of water, and simmer for however long the packet says (probs about 20-25mins) until tender. Drain. Set aside, reserving the garlic, but discarding the thyme.
Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions. Set aside.
Give the green beans a couple of minutes in boiling water and drain.
Put the quinoa, lentils and green beans in a big dish with the spring onion. Squeeze garlic out of its skin into the bowl.
Flake the mackerel fillets into the bowl.
By now the squash should be roasted. Throw that in too along with the oil it roasted in. Give it a good stir to combine well.
Taste, add salt and pepper and a dash more olive oil should you so desire. You don’t want it to be mega oiley, but it is nice if it feels a bit dressed.
Add the leaves, stir well again. Serve.
