Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegetarian

Fall Harvest Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Salad

This gorgeous salad is a celebration of colors, flavors, and textures. Tossed with my favorite sweet mustard dressing, it always makes an appearance at our family feasts. Wild rice has a tender chewy texture and earthy flavor that pairs well with sweet squash, pomegranate, and the slightly bitter flavor of kale.

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon melted Ghee or clarified butter
• Salt and black pepper
• 6 cups baby kale (see Notes below)
• 1 cup Perfectly Cooked Wild Rice
• ½ cup pomegranate arils
• 1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted, and diced
• ⅓ cup pecans, lightly toasted (see Notes below)
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ cup Sweet Ginger-Dijon Dressing

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel the squash, half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Cut into bite-size cubes and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the melted ghee, season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the squash is fork-tender. Allow to cool.

In a large salad bowl, combine the squash, kale, wild rice, pomegranate arils, avocado, pecans, and shallot. Drizzle with the dressing, toss, and serve.

notes: You can substitute 1 bunch of curly kale (chopped) for the baby kale.

Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until they give off a rich, nutty fragrance, 1 to 2 minutes.