Butternut Squash Salad
Fall is here and so are all of the root vegetables in season! That is why this recipe is one of my Fall Favorites!! The blog this past week I have been talking about all things Butternut Squash - how to cook it, prepare it making cinnamon roasted squash as a side, and then turning it into a 3-Ingredient Soup or Carrot Butternut Squash Soup, and the extra roasted squash you can now also add to a salad!! Salads do NOT have to be boring, I want you to experiment with lots of colors, textures, flavors, and spices/herbs. This delicious fall meal is wonderful for dinner or pack up several in your containers for the week to pack for lunches! Just note - MAKE EXTRA SQUASH since there are so many things you can do with it!!
Seasonal Foods September - December (in the mid-west & Northeast regions): (Note that I put these in categories based on how you would prepare them very similarly!
Apples, Pears
Brussels Sprouts,
Broccoli, Cauliflower
Cranberries
Cherries
Squash: Butternut, Acorn, Delicatta, Spaghetti, Pumpkin
Onion, Garlic, Leeks
Mushrooms
Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Beets
Dark Greens: Kale, Swiss Chard
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD
For the Salad:
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1 head kale, chop up well
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup butternut squash (I used leftovers, from my cinnamon roasted squash the night before. If you aren't using leftovers, simply peel and chop your squash, roast on baking pan 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, drizzled in cinnamon, salt and olive oil)
salt/pepper to taste
1 c quinoa (or white beans/black beans/nuts/seeds/raisins/cheese etc.)
***I also purchased 1 bag of pre-chopped carrots/jicama/cabbage slaw just to give extra crunch - this is optional but I suggest just to make extras to have leftover for lunches tomorrow!
For the dressing:
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2 Tbsp Tahini
1 Lemon, Squeezed
Drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt/pepper to taste
Wash and chop kale.
Put kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt.
Massage kale with your hands - YES with your hands.... squeeze and scrunch the leaves for about 60 seconds until kale starts to wilt.
Next, make your dressing my squeezing lemon, adding tahini, and then while you whisk these together, slowly drizzle in your olive oil. Add salt/pepper or any additional spices/herbs (ex. basil/oregano/thyme) to taste.
Add roasted squash, quinoa (or any additional proteins or veggies). Drizzle dressing over and toss well to combine!