Butternut Squash and Kale Salad With Spiced Pecans and Cranberry Vinagrette

Today is Day 3 of my gratitude project and I am thankful for having found a career I love and am passionate about.  Believe me, given the sub-arctic temperatures this week, it would have to take something I truly love to get my ass out of the house today!

This year, we got invited to friends' for New Year's Eve dinner and the event was pot-luck.  I was asked to bring a side dish.  At first I was thinking about doing a kale salad with dates and turkey or tempeh bacon, but then I started thinking about doing some sort of kale/squash combo. 

Coincidentally, I was perusing a new recipe on Eats Well With Others, one of my favorite food blogs, and I came across another recipe that involves both kale and squash and sounded great.  Joanne seems to share my affinity for making one pot/bowl meals combining lots of veggies and flavours and she is incredibly creative.

Of course, I never stick to an original recipe, so I made a bunch of changes to appeal to my own tastes.  Among other things, Joanne's recipe, which you can find here, has brie croutons.  I omitted those, and added some dried cranberries instead.  Also, I used garam masala to spice the pecans, instead of cumin seeds, and powdered erythritol instead of sugar to sweeten them.  In addition, I reversed the quantities of oil and vinegar in the dressing to make it lighter and zingier.  It turned out great and was a big hit at the party. Every last bit disappeared.  If you like sweet/savoury dishes, you will love this.

Butternut Squash and Kale Salad With Spiced Pecans and Cranberry Vinagrette (Adapted from this recipe)

1 butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice

Salt and black pepper, to taste

 

10 cups baby kale leaves

 

1 cup whole pecans

2 tbsp powdered stevia, erythritol or xylitol

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp water 

 

1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp powdered erythritol or other sweetener

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

salt, to taste

 

Preheat the oven to 400F.

1. Toss the squash chunks with salt and pepper. Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until tender. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Put the kale in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, toss the pecans with the sweetener, spice, seeds, water, and salt. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. For the vinaigrette, puree the cranberries, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and sweetener in a food processor or blender. Add in the olive oil and salt to taste. 
5. Toss the kale, roasted squash, pecans, and vinaigrette in a large bowl. Serve.

This recipe has been submitted to this week's Wellness Weekend and Gluten-Free Friday.

 

Have a wonderful weekend...I hope you too love your job so you don't get those Sunday evening blues!!