A warm, generous winter salad of beets with the addition of sweet dates and a creamy tahini dressing. This is an earthy, wholesome and interesting salad - perfect to make in advance and enjoy (smugly) at your desk, while folks around you tuck into an overpriced meal-deal.
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Peel and dice the beetroot and the squash and chop the rosemary. Pit and tear the dates.
Place the beetroot, butternut squash, half of the maple syrup and rosemary in a large baking tray or roasting tin and toss with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40–50 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time, until tender and slightly crisp.
Meanwhile, combine the tahini with the Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar remaining maple syrup and olive oil. Season with a little more salt and pepper and taste to check the balance of sweet and sour.
Pour the lentils into a large salad bowl and pour over half of the dressing. Once cooked, add the cooked roasted vegetables and leave to marinade a little. While the oven is still hot, switch it to grill. Pour the walnuts onto a tray and coat in the cumin and cinnamon. Season with a little salt, drizzle with a touch of oil, and grill for 30-60 seconds until toasted.
Pour the baby kale onto your serving platter and top with the dressed roasted vegetables and lentils. Scatter over the toasted walnuts and the pitted dates and dress with the remaining tahini dressing. Add a little crumbled feta if you like.