Make a batch, add some protein, and your work lunches are prepped for the week!

Serves: It lasts me a five lunches with some added protein.

Ingredients

I don’t get too precious about amounts and generally use different ingredients each time. Make swaps or additions as you please – leftover roast veg will do!

• butternut squash
• 4 large beetroot (if you’re my sister, yes, you can skip this)
• cooking oil
• salt
• big bunch of tuscan / lacinato / dinosaur / cavolo nero kale (also called black cabbage…). If you shop at Waitrose, one bunch will juuust cut it.

Optional:

• carrots (maybe 3-4)
• bacon (about 1-2 rashers)
• shredded chicken
• apple (say 2-3)
• red cabbage (hmm, 1/4?)
• sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds etc.

Method

• Peel, de-seed and cube butternut (large-ish cubes, say about 2cm). Peel or wash carrots, trim ends and cube (medium cubes). Trim ends of beetroot, peel or wash and cube (small cubes). Oil and salt vegetables, then spread on a tray and roast at whatever temperature you usually roast things at until cooked through. Hopefully they will all finish at about the same time, more or less, given the relative sizes.
• Optional: The red cabbage can be sliced and added to the tray or pan fried later. The apple could also be cubed and roasted (add it to the tray towards the end), cubed or sliced and pan fried, or left raw – however you prefer. Bacon could also be baked or pan fried later.
• De-stem kale and chop or tear into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing/salad bowl.
• Slice onion into half-moons and pan fry in oil and salt until caramelised. Remove from pan into the bowl.
• Optional: Now’s the time to separately pan fry bacon, cabbage and apple if doing so, and remove each into the same bowl.
• Gently but thoroughly combine all ingredients. Let the warm vegetables and residual oil coat and soften the kale. Get in there with your hands to massage the oils into the kale for the full effect.
• Serve warm, or store in the fridge and reheat for lunches throughout the week.

Let me know if you try this recipe with any other ingredients. I’ll add them to the optional list and credit your name (or pseudonym) to inspire others!