As winter winds down, enjoy this seasonal salad.
Enjoy this seasonal salad in the last few remaining chilly evenings of winter. This colorful salad, with roasted butternut squash, deep crimson dried cranberries and fresh arugula works as either an entree or side dish and packs a healthy punch from its wholesome ingredients. Aim for the brightest colored fruits and veggies in your diet; they are loaded with nutrients and powerhouses of cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Ingredients
3/4 pound of butternut squash, diced in bite-sized pieces (I buy the pre-cut to make life easier)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon real maple syrup (don’t skimp — use the real thing)
Freshly ground pepper
5-6 tablespoons dried cranberries or raisins
¼ cup apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ cup olive oil
5 ounces baby arugula
½ cup walnuts or almonds, chopped and toasted
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Put the squash, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the maple syrup and ½ teaspoon of pepper in a mixing bowl and toss until coated.
Transfer the squash to a cookie sheet and roast for about 15-20 minutes. Add the cranberries to the pan, toss everything and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
While the squash is roasting, combine the apple juice, vinegar and shallots in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook it for about 6-8 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup. Take it off the heat, and whisk in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Place the arugula in a large bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the nuts and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten it, and toss well. Less dressing is better; don’t make it soggy.
Season with pepper and serve.
- 3/4 pound of butternut squash, diced in bite-sized pieces (I buy the pre-cut to make life easier)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup (don’t skimp-use the real thing)
- Freshly ground pepper
- 5-6 tablespoons dried cranberries or raisins
- ¼ cup apple juice
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup olive oil
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- ½ cup walnuts or almonds, chopped and toasted
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Put the squash, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the maple syrup and ½ teaspoon of pepper in a mixing bowl and toss until coated.
- Transfer the squash to a cookie sheet and roast for about 15-20 minutes. Add the cranberries to the pan, toss everything and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, combine the apple juice, vinegar and shallots in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook it for about 6-8 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup. Take it off the heat, and whisk in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Place the arugula in a large bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the nuts and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten it, and toss well. Less dressing is better; don’t make it soggy.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Stacey Kendrick, MS, is a health educator with more than 20 years of experience in wellness and population health. She spent much of her career at Vanderbilt’s Faculty/Staff Wellness Program and currently works in Strategic Marketing at Vanderbilt. She is mother to two adult daughters. In her free time, she teaches healthy cooking classes, runs, gardens and enjoys backyard bonfires.
