Using winter's best veggies to the fullest.
Winter is upon us in full force, which also means different seasonal veggies (and fruits) are at our disposal.
This dish features
Squash - Acorn, butternut, kabocha, and delicata squash are all at their prime during the fall and winter.
Dark, leafy greens - like arugula
Pears
I'm not usually a huge fan of salads in the winter. I'm more of a warm and cozy stew or soup kind-of-girl. However, because the veggies are roasted, and there's some squash, I think that this actually works quite nicely as a winter dish.
The beautiful thing about this dish, is that you can use the roasted veggies on their own for a quick dinner. You can add the chicken on the side as well - a good vegetarian sub would be chickpeas (which you can also roast in the oven, for some crunchiness).
Butternut squash is one of my favorite types of squash; ranked only behind kabocha squash. There are SO many things that you can do with butternut squash. I usually roast it and then mash it in a bowl with some cinnamon (by some, I mean probably wayy too much).
Butternut reminds me of thanksgiving dinner, and a very cozy and winter-esque treat.
One thing to note, is that the cooking time will vary depending on how big you cut your squash pieces.
The pears in this were such a nice little surprise of sweetness. They also contain high levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C (which is always good for the winter months when everyone and their uncle seems to be sick).
Speaking of vitamin C, I decided to throw in some pomegranate. It adds a nice bright punch, and crunch, to the salad (that rhymed).
CHOPPED WINTER SALAD
Serves 4-5
INGREDIENTS
SALAD
2 lbs butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 bosc pear
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 lb green beans, cut in half
6-8 cups arugula
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
DRESSING
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
On a large baking sheet, toss the butternut squash and the pear in some olive oil and salt. Roast for 25 minutes. At the same time, put the chicken breast on a separate pan in the oven to cook. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
After 25 minutes, add the green beans to the squash mix and gently toss to combine. Roast for an additional 10 minutes.
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. Alternatively, place all into a jar with a lid and shake to combine.
When the chicken is cooked, you can either shred it or cut it into small cubes.
To assemble, split the vegetable mixture between 4 plates or bowls. Top with the chicken and dressing.
Serve and enjoy!
NOTES
You can make this vegetarian by subbing the chicken for chickpeas.
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