Autumn Harvest Salad

This salad can be made any time of year, but its main ingredients are harvested in the cooler months. In this vegetarian salad, you get a good balance of ingredients, including nuts, seeds, and greens. Dressed in an apple cider vinaigrette, this salad has a slightly sweet taste, which can help balance out the bitterness of the kale.

Serves 2

1 large butternut squash

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1⁄4 cup pine nuts

5 cups kale

1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Ingredients for Apple Cider Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1⁄2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1⁄2 tablespoon raw wild honey

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the bulbous end off your butternut squash and set aside. You will only be using the longer end to spiralize. Peel butternut squash until the top, tough surface is completely removed; then slice in half crosswise and cut off the remaining end. Spiralize using a small-noodle blade.
  2. Place noodles on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until noodles become soft.
  3. When squash is ready, remove from the oven. Lower oven temperature to 375°F. Spread pine nuts on a baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
  4. Remove stems from kale and place the leaves into a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt. Massage kale by rubbing the leaves between your hands, using your fingers to soften the leaves. Add squash, pine nuts, and pomegranate seeds.
  5. In a small bowl, mix together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, mustard, and honey. Pour over salad and toss until dressing evenly coats the salad and the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.