Winter Kale & Butternut Squash Salad

With Thanksgiving long gone and December well under way, I can tell this holiday season is going to be just like the others: filled with lots and lots of eating.

Before we all get stuffed with Christmas cookies that, yes, fill us with warm and fuzzy feelings of the season, but also remind us why we got that gym membership last summer, I thought it would be nice to treat our bodies a little kinder with this much healthier recipe.

Perfect as an entree, or side salad option, this Winter Kale & Butternut Squash Salad is delicious & super filling...and won't have you tugging at the waistline of your pants after you've eaten.

Just a few years ago kale was all the rage, and I've felt like such a proud mama ever since. While I know plenty of people still aren't crazy about this sturdy green, I think it's such a versatile ingredient, and making it the base of a salad is my favorite way to enjoy it.

Things you'll love about this salad:

• The sweet burst of flavor from the pomegranate seeds (which in my opinion make the dish)

• The earthy richness of the roasted butternut squash

• Its versatility

• Its make-ahead power

• How gosh-darn beautiful it is

With the sweetness of the squash and pomegranate, plus the sharpness of the balsamic vinaigrette and creaminess of the goat cheese, this salad has just the right balance of rich, and savory notes.

I'm also in the camp that goat cheese is the perfect cheese for salads, because of the way it gently coats everything, becoming entangled with dressing and toppings. However, if you're not a fan of goat cheese, you could try it with big shavings of asiago, or crumbles of gorgonzola.

RECIPE:

For the salad:

1 T Olive Oil

1 Butternut Squash

1 Pomegranate

Goat cheese (I just buy one log, and use as much or as little as preferred; I will then use the

rest for other dishes)

1 tsp dried Thyme

Salt and Pepper

For the dressing:

3/4 cup Olive Oil

1/4 + 1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1+1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp minced Garlic

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Salt

5 turns of fresh cracked Black Pepper

I'd recommend getting the squash roasting in the oven first, which should provide you just the right amount of time to prepare everything else, whilst that finishes.

To prepare the butternut squash:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Slice off what remains of the stem from each end of the squash, then, using a vegetable peeler, remove the tan outside rind.

3. With a chef's knife, cut the squash in half, horizontally, so you're left with two columns of squash (this is simply easier to work with than the whole long piece). Then cut each column in half, lengthwise, leaving you with four pieces. At this point, you can choose either to chop the squash into chunks, or slice it into half-moon shapes.

4. Evenly spread your cut squash onto a baking sheet, season with 1T of olive oil, 1tsp of dried thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes* or until squash is tender, and has browned slightly.

*When I did this initially, I roasted it for most of the time at 400 and then bumped it up to 425 to help get some color; you could likely roast it the whole time at 425 for a shorter total cook time.

To deseed the pomegranate:

1. Cut the pomegranate in half, horizontally.

2. Looking at each cut half of the pomegranate, the seeds inside will be arranged in a vague star shape; with a pairing knife, make a slice on the outside of the pomegranate, between each "arm" of the star.

3. Working with one half of the pomegranate at a time, over a bowl of water crack the fruit apart at the slices you made. The water is your friend in this process!

4. With the fruit submerged, separate the seeds from the white inside. Any pieces of pith you don't catch should float to the top of the water. Once finished, drain off the water and remove any pieces of pith you didn't catch earlier.

To make the dressing:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and emulsify with an immersion blender.

*An immersion blender creates a really creamy dressing that rarely separates, but if you don't have an immersion blender, you can use of course use a whisk, food processor, or simply shake it together in a mason jar.

Assembly:

Lay down your bed of kale, and top with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, crumbled cheese, and drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!

*Other delicious toppings to try: pear, toasted walnuts or pecans, grilled salmon, lemon vinaigrette.

#kalesalad #butternutsquash #balsamicviniagrette #pomegranate #lunch #dinner #salad #vegetarian #goatcheese #foodblog #thetickledkitchen #recipe