Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
It’s official, Happy Fall! I don’t know about you but I was in heaven buying delicata and kabocha squash last weekend at the farmers market. ‘Tis the season of squash and pumpkin everything! I’m here for it - warming spices, roasted veggies, hot drinks; lets go!
Salads are one of those foods that we think of raw and full of summer produce. I’m here to tell you that we can spice up our salads, literally, to help us continue to eat seasonally and still get in our greens/veggies. Did you know that cooked veggies are much easier to digest than raw? Add in some spices, which are filled with nutrients, to give that warming taste and sensation to our foods this season so we aren’t here shivering while we eat and forcing our bodies to do even more work.
This salad is tossed in one of my all time favorite dressings; creamy balsamic! There is not an ounce of dairy in it which is just so cool. It’s FULL of flavor and easy to blend up to keep on hand for the week. You can even use this to marinate chicken or dress your favorite steamed veggies - the possibilities are endless!
Dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free, paleo, Whole 30
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 small delicata squash
1 small apple (honeycrisps are my favorite)
5 oz bag of organic baby kale
1/4 cup walnuts
1 T coconut oil
6-8 oz piece of wild caught salmon, or your favorite cooked protein
Cinnamon, nutmeg, + sea salt to season
Dressing:
1/4 cup EVOO
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T dijon mustard
small clove of garlic
1/4 tsp sea salt
Pinch of pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 380F
Slice delicata squash in half the long way and scoop out seeds. Flesh side down on a cutting board, slice it vertically into thin half moon strips
Lay on a cooking sheet and toss with coconut oil and cinnamon/sea salt to taste
Roast for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through
Add salmon to the baking sheet when there is 12 minutes left, skin side down. Season with a dash of nutmeg and sea salt
While squash in cooking, make the dressing by blending all ingredients in a blender. Set aside
Chop apple into thin slices
in a medium bowl, add entire bag of kale. Pour dressing onto kale and give it a little massage
Arrange apples on top of the kale, followed by the walnuts, roasted squash, and salmon
Enjoy!
