Roasted Butternut Squash, Pomegranate, Apple and Goat Cheese Salad
These colorful fall/winter flavors pair so well and the nutrients in the greens, yellow, oranges, and reds will help you feel nourished and ward off cold weather ailments. The divine combination was suggested by Scramble fan Sheryl Gay Stolberg, who is a salad genius.
Ingredients
- 1 pieces small to medium butternut squash peeled, halved, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch 4 – 6 cups
- 3 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or use 1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses and 1 Tbsp. vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 6 cups baby spinach or baby arugula
- 1 apple diced 1 cup
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds or use dried cranberries
- 1 cup shelled edamame, chickpeas or diced chicken or turkey optional
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts coarsely chopped and toasted if desired (optional)
- 3/4 cup crumbled goat or Gorgonzola cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet lightly with nonstick cooking spray. In a large serving bowl, toss the squash with 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil, the chili powder and the salt (reserving a pinch of salt for the dressing).
- Transfer the squash to the baking sheet and roast it for 15 - 20 minutes until it is tender and browned in spots. Remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the remaining oil, the vinegar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
- In the same large bowl used for the squash, combine the greens, apples, pomegranate seeds, edamame (optional) and nuts (optional).
- Add the squash and dressing and toss, and then gently toss in the cheese. Serve it immediately.
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Peel, halve, seed, dice and roast the squash, dice the apple and store tossed with a little lemon juice to prevent browning, remove the pomegranate seeds from the pomegranate if necessary, dice the chicken or turkey if using, chop and toast the nuts if desired, crumble the cheese if necessary and refrigerate.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the salad, season it with freshly ground black pepper.
Tip: According to a recent study, balsamic vinegar contains polyphenols, antioxidants that help to keep your heart arteries flexible, so dangerous fats can’t build up.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 344, Total Fat: 24g, 36.5%; Saturated Fat: 4g, 20.5%; Cholesterol: 5mg, 1.5%; Sodium: 262mg, 11%; Total Carbohydrate: 30g, 10%; Dietary Fiber: 7g, 26.5%; Sugar: 10g; Protein: 7g
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