Beetroot looks so vibrant you know it is going to be good for you. We seem to get beetroots in our veg box quite a lot, so we had to learn how to cook them! This very quick dukkah will add loads of crunch, flavour and protein to your salad. It doesn’t matter if you use nuts with skin on or off; just use whatever you have! You don’t need a salad dressing with this; just mix in the smashed beets before eating.
 
Makes 2 lunches
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking: 2 hours (cook when the oven is on for something else)
 

For the smashed beets
2 beetroots
1 tbsp tahini
Squeeze of lemon (optional)
 
For the dukkah
25g hazelnuts
50g almonds
1 tsp black or white sesame seeds
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
 
For the rainbow salad
1 carrot, cut into ribbons
2 handfuls of watercress or rocket
1 courgette, spiralised or grated
5-6 radishes, sliced
5-6 cherry or heritage tomatoes, halved
Cress, optional
 

1. Wash the beetroots, snip the leaves off, then wrap the beets in foil. Roast in the oven for 2 hours (ideally, do this when you are cooking something else – Sunday lunch or night before etc). When cool, peel and chop into rough chunks.
2. To make the smash, put the beetroot, tahini and a squeeze of lemon (if using) in a blender and whizz until smashed but not too smooth. If you don’t have a blender, just chop the beetroot finely, and mix with the tahini and lemon.
3. To make the dukkah, put the hazelnuts and almonds in a blender and whizz until rubble, or just chop roughly or smash in a mortar and pestle. Mix with the seeds and herbs.
4. Arrange the rainbow salad veggies in two lunch boxes or bowls. Add the beetroot smash. Just before eating, sprinkle over the dukkah.

 
Love your leftovers
You can use beetroot leaves in a stir fry, just like rainbow chard or bok choy.

We get broad beans in our veg box for a few weeks each summer, and this quick salad shows their lime green beauty at their best. A clementine, satsuma or any other orange from the fruit bowl makes a delicious, easy dressing. Lovely with a piece of crunchy baguette or sourdough.  

Makes: 1 lunch
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
 
 
Handful of broad beans in their pods
2 tbsp frozen petis pois
Handful of green beans, cut in half
25g hazelnuts
Handful of watercress
1 clementine or satsuma
1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
 

1. Put the broad beans, petis pois and green beans in a pan of simmering water and cook for 3 minutes. Tip them into a colander and rinse under cold running water.
2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the hazelnuts (or bash them with a rolling pin if easier) until you have a rough rubble.
3. Fish out the broad beans and peel off the outer shells to reveal the lime green beans.
4. Put all the beans and peas in your lunch box or bowl. Add the watercress and hazelnuts and mix well.
5. Mix together the orange zest and juice and rapeseed or olive oil, adding plenty of salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad.

Jars of olives and cans of lentils are so useful to have in the cupboard, ready for lunch. Add peppers and rocket, which last for ages in the fridge, and lunch is ready! The blitzed olives and lemon make this a flavour-packed lunch.
 
Makes: 1 lunch
Prep: 5 minutes
 
Handful of rocket
1/3 red pepper, cut into pieces
50g cooked Puy or Beluga lentils
1 spring onion, sliced
25g purple olives, pitted
1/2 lemon
1 tsp rapeseed or olive oil
Black pepper
 

1. Put the rocket in your lunch box or bowl. Add the pepper, lentils and onion and stir. Zest over the lemon.
2. Put the olives, lemon juice and rapeseed or olive oil in a blender and whizz until smooth.
3. Pour the olive dressing over the salad just before eating.

 
 
Fridge forage
I make a variation of this salad most weeks. To mix it up a little, add whatever veggies you have in the fridge – radishes, sugar snaps, cherry tomatoes and grated carrot will all go well in this. You could also add soft or crumbly cheese.

If you want to cut down on your avo habit, try this vibrant, protein-packed lunch instead. It’s also nice with crumbly cheese on top.
 
Makes: 1 lunch
Cooking: 5 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes
 
50g broad beans, podded
50g frozen petis pois
Zest and juice of 1/2 lime
Rapeseed or olive oil
1 thick slice of sourdough or rye bread
1 garlic clove, peeled
Chilli flakes, to sprinkle
Sea salt and black pepper
 
 

1. Put the broad beans and petis pois in a pan of simmering water and cook for 5 minutes. Tip them into a colander and rinse under cold running water.
2. Fish out the broad beans and peel off the outer shells to reveal the lime green beans.
3. Put the broad beans (save a few to decorate, if you like), peas, lime zest and juice and about 1 tsp oil in a blender and whizz to combine and chop (not too smooth). Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Toast the sourdough. While still hot, drizzle over a little more oil and then rub the garlic clove over the bread.
   
5. Pile the bean mixture on top, and add chilli flakes, and more lime juice, if you like.

​Beautiful beets make a great sandwich filling. Use cooked beets sold in glass jars (rinse to get rid of some of the vinegar and sugar). Roasting your own is easy too; the key is to prep the beets when you are cooking something else, so it doesn’t feel like too much effort.
 
Makes: 1 lunch
Prep: 5 minutes
 
25g cooked beetroot, chopped
25g crumbly cheese (eg Lancashire or feta), crumbled
Squeeze of lemon or lime
Black pepper
1 bagel or chunk of ciabatta
Handful of rocket or watercress
1 tsp pumpkin seeds
 

1. Put the beetroot and cheese in a blender. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime and whizz until smashed but not too smooth. If you don’t have a blender, just chop the beetroot finely, and mix with the cheese and lemon. Add pepper.
2. Toast the bagels, then fill with the beetroot mixture, rocket or watercress and pumpkin seeds.

 

• A few chopped walnuts go well in this sandwich too, instead of the pumpkin seeds.