I often make cooked grain-based salads because I love them and they can be made in endless variations, plus they're easy to pack for school or work. I usually use rice, quinoa or buckwheat as a base, some kind of green leafy vegetable, seasonal colourful vegetables, herbs, pulses, eggs, meat or fish. You can make it even more special with a good dressing, which can be a classic vinaigrette (olive oil + balsamic vinegar), or yoghurt, mayonnaise or mustard. The zest and juice of citrus fruits, fresh and dried herbs, toasted seeds and nuts, as well as fruits and long-ripened cheeses can all be great additions. Cooked buckwheat contains 51 mg of magnesium per 100 g and beetroot 23 mg per 100 g.

Place the beetroot on a baking tray lined with parchment and bake in a 180 degree Celsius oven for about 45 minutes. I don't wrap them in aluminium foil as the skin forms a perfect "shell". Leave to cool, then peel and cut into chunks. Boil the buckwheat in twice as much salted water and leave to cool. In a bowl, mix the buckwheat, mint, chives, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and finally toss in the beans. Serve with the roasted beetroot. Make it even better with cubes of feta cheese or thinly sliced mature goat's cheese!