Winter salad: quinoa, butternut squash, spinach, feta and citrus dressing

Foods that are naturally orange, red, yellow, and dark green are anti-inflammatory and will boost your immune system.

It is not easy to cook homemade, healthy meals rich in fresh fruit and vegetables when you are a mother, yet you should see nutrition as your first tool for looking after your health so that you can be at your best and fully enjoy your family. My advice is to set aside the daily tasks that drain your energy and to see your kitchen as your personal wellness sanctuary.

One whole butternut squash of approximately 1.5kg
100g of spinach leaves, washed, drained and chopped (if the leaves are too large). You can replace the spinach with salad leaves.
200g feta
200g flaked almonds
One lemon
One orange
40 ml olive oil
2 cups of quinoa, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper

Tip: To prepare this salad very quickly in the evening, I rinse the butternut squash in the morning whilst making breakfast and put it whole into a cold oven, which I heat to 180°C for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, I switch off the oven and leave the butternut squash inside to finish cooking slowly. In the evening I check with the tip of a knife whether it is done, and if not I add a few more minutes depending on the size of the squash.

In a saucepan, place 2 cups of quinoa, 3 cups of water, and 2 pinches of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer on a medium heat for approximately 15 minutes until the grains have absorbed all the water. Turn off the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the butternut squash from the oven and preheat your oven to 180°C. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a large baking tray and roast for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly golden. Leave to cool. These almonds will keep for several weeks in a glass jar.

Cut the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds, set one half aside with the skin on, and peel and dice the other half into small cubes.

In a jar, squeeze in the lemon and orange juice, add salt, pepper, and olive oil. Close the jar and shake well. Adjust the seasoning if needed. A dressing can be kept in the fridge for more than 2 weeks.

In a deep bowl, place a few spinach leaves and drizzle with a little dressing, add the quinoa and a few chunks of butternut squash, then add a little more dressing. Crumble over the feta and scatter with almonds before serving.

Tip: Place the other half of the butternut squash (with the skin on, which is rich in fibre) in a blender, add ½ cup of water, 200 ml of coconut milk, 2 good pinches of cinnamon, and a small piece of ginger. Blend until completely smooth, adding water if needed. You can enjoy this velvety soup the next day with warm goat's cheese toasts.

Once ready, you can top it with salted cashew and herbes de Provence granola, Tomato croq, for extra crunch.

Recipe by Laila Bel
I am a health coach for busy mums. I hold a diploma from a nutrition school based in New York (IIN), where I studied more than 100 dietary theories alongside 85 of the world's leading experts in health, wellbeing, and coaching, including Deepak Chopra, Mark Hyman, Dan Buettner, Gabrielle Bernstein, David Wolfe, and Arianna Huffington. My role is to support mums in taking care of themselves through nutrition, wellbeing, and personal development.