Orange foods is the recipe redux topic this month and I could not love it more. This is my favorite time of year! Love the beautiful leaves on the trees, the perfect weather, and the amazing fall produce. I’ve been waiting to make a butternut squash salad, so here you have it.
I’m a pretty simple eater but I’m big on flavor, so this dish is flavorful and…simple. Of course you can always jazz it up anyway you like. The recipe is adapted from an Ina Garten recipe where she uses arugula instead of lentils and tosses in some dried cranberries and Parmesan cheese. I wanted my salad to be a bit heartier and dairy free. Here’s my take:
Peel and cut your butternut squash into chunks. Toss with olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
Place onto baking sheet and roast at 400 for 15-20 minutes.
While the squash is roasting, make the warm dressing with apple cider, vinegar, shallots and mustard.
Combine squash and lentils in a serving dish, sprinkle with walnuts and toss with dressing
Voila. The perfect lunch.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Lentils and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash peeled and diced
- 1-2 cups cooked lentils
- Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- Celtic sea salt
- Black pepper
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup walnuts halves toasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the butternut squash in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, salt and pepper.
- Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender.
- While squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar and shallots in a small saucepan, bring to a boil.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes or until cider is reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in the mustard, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the cooked lentils in a serving bowl. Add the roasted squash and walnuts. Spoon vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss.
