Ingredients
Salad
- 7 leaves Curly Kale
- 2 small Acorn Squash
- 0.5 cup Pomegranate Seeds
- 0.5 cup, chopped Apple
- 0.5 cup, chopped Pecans
- 0.25 cup, crumbled Feta Cheese
Lemon & Turmeric Dressing
- 1 Lemon
- 1 teaspoon Agave/Honey
- 0.25 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions
When the holidays are upon us and we all get together, eat a lot of great food, the calories don’t count. Right?
Well no. I definitely indulge during the holiday season, but I still try to sneak in healthy meals as often as I can.
Whether you are looking to add something healthy yet holiday appropriate to the table or just need a break from all of the fatty foods, this colorful salad is for you.
I am all about that winter squash and there are a ton of varieties out there including butternut, delicata and acorn squash.
Roasted squash is a great addition to a salad as it provides a bit of that creamy element, nutrients and a ton of flavor!
I paired this salad with a lemon and turmeric vinaigrette but feel free to add any dressing of your preference. Both lemon and turmeric are very detoxifying for the body.
Turmeric is one of the top four cancer-fighting spices along with aiding in treating infection, inflammation, and poor digestion. So add it to your spice rack, stat.
Steps
1 Done | Roast The Acorn SquashWash and cut the acorn squash and remove the seeds. Drizzle a bit of olive oil, salt & pepper and roast in a preheated 425F oven for 20 minutes, flipping them after about 10 minutes. |
2 Done | Prep The Other IngredientsSoak the kale leaves in cold water for a couple of minutes then remove the stems and chop into bite-size pieces. Place the kale into a large salad bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the kale and massage with your hands for about one minute. This will 'tenderize' the kale and get rid of the bitter taste. Wash and chop your apple into bite-size pieces then add to the kale. Chop the pecans and add to the kale. Next, tackle the pomegranate I highly suggest buying a pomegranate and deseeding it yourself as it is much cheaper, easy and fun! So if you have a pomegranate, start by deseeding it in a large bowl filled with water. Gently pull the seeds from the membrane then rinse and store in a bowl. Add about 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate to the salad bowl. Lastly, crumble the feta and add to the salad as well. |
3 Done | Make the DressingTo make the dressing add all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, into a bowl and whisk until combined. Keep whisking and slowly add the olive oil for a very blended dressing. Another great trick is adding it all into a jar with a lid and give it a good shake. |
4 Done | ServeOnce the squash is done roasting cut into bite size pieces and add them to the salad. If you are ready to eat the salad right aways add the dressing and toss. Add 1-2 tbsp of the dressing first, toss and give it a taste, if you want more dressing add more. The salad dressing should enhance the flavor of each component but should not overpower the dish, so I recommend adding less rather than more. |
