By Jesse Schelew, Buzzworthy Blogs
As the autumn the leaves begin to turn beautiful shades of red and the sunny days become crisp, I find myself reaching for hardier salads like this Fall Harvest Salad. This salad has all of my favorite autumn flavors like cinnamon roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, crisp apples, walnuts and dates. Fall Harvest Salad is topped with a creamy balsamic dressing that really brings the flavors together. This salad makes an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving spread.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serving size: 4 large salads or 8 side salads
Ingredients:
- 3 cups raw butternut squash, peeled and diced in 1 cm cubes
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup walnuts
- 10 dates, chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 fall apples, diced
- 8 oz baby spinach, washed
Balsamic Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss butternut squash in 2 Tbsp coconut oil, cayenne pepper and cinnamon and bake for 30 minutes, flipping occasionally.
While the butternut squash is roasting, heat 2 Tbsp of coconut oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned. Meanwhile, place the rinsed lentils in 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until al dente.
Whisk together balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper.
When the butternut squash, caramelized onions and lentils are done, toss them with the walnuts, dates, dried cranberries, apples and dressing and serve over spinach warm or chilled.
Jesse Lane Schelew is a cheerful Holistic Nutritionist and founder of Out To Lunch Creations, a web based holistic nutrition practice and holistic recipe resource. She is also the resident Holistic Nutritionist at Yellow Gazebo Clinic in Toronto. Jesse Lane is passionate about nutrition and works with her clients to achieve their health goals. Her protocols include nutrition and healthy living education along with diet, supplement and lifestyle recommendations.
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