Roast pumpkin, pear, avocado salad with blue cheese and raspberry balsamic dressing

Raspberry balsamic dressing

• raspberries ¼ cup (fresh or defrosted frozen)
• balsamic vingar 2 tablespoons
• liquid honey 1-2 teaspoons
• extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons
• salt pinch
• pepper pinch

Salad

• pumpkin or butternut 600-700g, cut into 2-3cm chunks (leave skin on)
• maple syrup or runny honey 2 teaspoons
• walnuts or hazelnuts ¼ cup chopped
• salad greens (e.g. baby spinach, silverbeet or Cos leaves) 2 handfuls
• avocado 1, sliced
• ripe pear 1, sliced
• blue cheese (or feta cheese) 50-70g, crumbled

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200 deg C.

1. Toss pumpkin or butternut with maple syrup/honey and a good drizzle of olive oil in a roasting tray lined with baking paper. Season with salt and pepper, and roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender and slightly sticky and caramelised around the edges.
2. Make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a screw-top jar and vigorously shaking together until the raspberries have disintegrated.
3. Lightly toast walnuts or hazelnuts in a dry fry pan (with no oil) for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, shaking around the pan frequently to prevent them burning. Then set aside to cool.
4. To serve, arrange spinach, roast pumpkin, avocado, pear and nuts on a plate, scatter over blue cheese, and spoon over raspberry dressing.