Acorn Squash Salad

recipe serves 2-4

In the fall, it’s so nice to have a salad with one or more cooked elements.

This acorn squash salad is beautiful, bountiful, refreshing, and full of nutrients! It's a real celebration of the season!

The layers of flavor and texture are well-balanced. Bright- refreshing pomegranate, dried tart cherries, almonds, and pumpkin seeds build complexity. Crisp fresh apple and butterhead lettuce give the salad its crunch. Roasted acorn squash creates a warmth that we are looking for in fall dishes. The honey-mustard dressing pulls all the flavors together!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 acorn squash (cut in half, remove seeds, brush with evoo and salt, and roast at 400F for 45 min.) - optional; roast with fresh rosemary and thyme
• 1-2 heads of butterhead lettuce (washed, gently dried, and separated into leaves)
• 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 tbsp dried tart cherries
• 1 tbsp chopped almonds
• 1 small chopped apple
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• salt and pepper to taste

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 lemon squeezed
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 cup honey
  

METHOD

1. Slice the roasted acorn squash into 1-inch pieces.
2. Place butterhead lettuce leaves into the bottom of a salad bowl.
3. Top with sliced acorn squash, apple, almonds, cherries, pomegranate, and pumpkin seeds.
4. In a dressing jar, mix evoo, honey, lemon, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and salt and stir well.
5. Dress salad just before you enjoy!