Fall Lunch Menu: Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Update and Redux: C – This salad is amazing. I love every ingredient in it. This is perfect for a Fall Lunch or as a side dish. It’s really filling and so delicious.

C – Yes! Health kick still going!

I have been eating salads. Lots of salads. Salads in the winter! Nothing says health kick more than eating a salad in the winter. All these warm temptations at hand and I go for salads. I think Jim might be complaining a little bit. Everything I have been making is really light. He gets really hungry after a few hours.

I offered to add some starchy carbs, but he says no. He’s been a bit more grouchy since I cut out the carbs for the meals we’ve eaten together.

I needed to get Jim full and satisfied. He works hard and put out a lot of energy. I still wanted to keep my healthy salad routine, and also have Jim full and not complaining. So I made this salad.

Just the sound of it is a mouth full. Roasted butternut squash salad with a warm cider vinaigrette. That is some name for a salad. But, it tastes really good.

Crispy baby arugula, warm, starchy and FILLING butternut squash, pan-seared chicken breast, with a great healthy apple cider dressing, some cheese and a few nuts.

I loved the different textures and the great balance of salty, sweet, bitter and tangy. I really liked that it warm too. A cold winter day eating a warm healthy salad. I was in foodie bliss.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Recipe type: Mains, Sides
Author:
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Chicken Breast
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into filet pieces
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
  • 1 butternut squash (1½ pound), peeled and ¾-inch-diced
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsp dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup apple cider or apple juice
  • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp minced shallots
  • 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
  • ½ cup walnut halves, toasted
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
Chicken Breast
  1. Salt and pepper chicken breast.
  2. In a saute pan, heat one tablespoon oil. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes on each side.
  3. Remove from heat and set aside for service.
  4. Slice chicken breasts just before plating
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place the butternut squash on a half-sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat.
  3. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender.
  4. Mix the cranberries into the pan for the last 5 minutes.
  5. While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about ¼ cup.
  6. Remove the saucepan from heat. Whisk-in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
  7. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts and the grated Parmesan.
  8. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
  9. Serve immediately
  10. Enjoy!

 

Jim was full. I felt healthy.

Both made me happy.

Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-butternut-squash-salad-with-warm-cider-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html