Beetroot, feta & almond salad

This is a delicious midweek salad to have for lunch! Beetroots are packed full of nutrients and are incredibly healthy. Coupled with a light mustard & honey dressing, crumbled feta and almonds, this a healthy and satisfying salad to have with some crackers or crusty bread. Don't be afraid that this will be salty because of the feta, beetroots are naturally sweet and the feta is the perfect antidote to that sweetness. I often make a big batch of this and then take a portion of it to university for my lunch. Tip here: always just pack the beetroot in a separate container or wrap it in clingfilm or foil. Mix it with the rest of the salad when you need to eat it, that way it stops everything going pink (including your lunch box!) This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients
2 large handfuls pea shoots, washed
1 handful rocket, washed
3-4 medium beetroots 
25g flaked almonds, lightly toasted 
100g feta crumbled 
Few mint leaves, roughly chopped 

For the dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
1 tbsp vinegar (balsamic or sherry work great. Just don't use white vinegar!) 
1/2 tbsp whole grain mustard 
1/2 tbsp honey 
Salt and pepper to taste 

Method

• First cook the beetroots as they take a while. Trim off the stalks and wash them with the skins on.
  
  
• Place in a saucepan of boiling water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a medium and cook the beetroots until soft (mine took around 25 minutes). By cooking them in their skins they will have retained their lovely colour and you can just easily peel / scrape the skins off.
  
  
• Whilst the beets are cooking, making the dressing and assemble the rest of the salad.
  
  
• For the dressing - mix the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small jug or bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  
  
• To assemble the rest of the salad, take a bowl or dish and mix the pea shoots, rocket, crumbled feta, almonds and chopped mint leaves.
  
  
• Drain the beetroots and then place back in the saucepan. Add some cold water so you can handle them when removing the skins.
  
  
• Once you've removed the skins, set aside on a chopping board lined with clingfilm (to stop your board going pink!) and cut into bite size pieces.
  
  
• Add the cooked beetroots chunks to the salad and mix well.
  
  
• Sprinkle over the dressing (however much you like) and serve!