Feta, pomegranate and buckwheat salad recipe

This feta, pomegranate and buckwheat salad recipe is nutritionally balanced with a source of protein from the cheese, a good micronutrient contribution from the colourful vegetables and pomegranate seeds. The under-used grass buckwheat is often overlooked as people wrongly assume they cannot use because the name infers it contains wheat. However, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is naturally gluten- and wheat-free. One serving provides two of your five-a-day!

Ingredients

(serves 2)

150g buckwheat

160g pomegranate seeds (from one whole fruit)

1 handful parsley or mint

60g feta, crumbled

1 courgette, cut into strips

1 sweet bell pepper, diced

For the dressing:

30ml lemon juice

10ml vinegar

30ml olive oil

1cm ginger, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Rinse the buckwheat thoroughly in cold water. Bring 750ml of water to the boil.

Add buckwheat, stir and cover with a lid, on a low heat, simmering for 20 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed.

Add in the parsley or mint.

Remove from the heat, drain off excess water and let stand for 10 minutes. When ready, separate the grains with a fork.

Add in crumbled feta cheese, sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds.

Spiralise or use a potato peeler to create thin, long courgette strips, add to mixture.

Stir in diced pepper to mix all ingredients well.

Combine dressing ingredients and drizzle over salad.

Feta and Pomegranate Buckwheat Salad. Gut Week runs from 31 August – 6 September loveyourgut.com