So, did anyone eat entirely too much food the past few weeks or was that just me? I figured a salad was in order to ensure I fit into my jeans at the start of the new year. Also, hiiiiii! I have missed you guys, but apparently I have been on an unscheduled blogging hiatus. This whole new house business, Thanksgiving holiday, and friend’s wedding kept me awayyy. I am not going to lie either, it may stick for a bit. We bought a house a few months ago and I am a house decorating fanatic! On top of that work has been busy blah blah standard excuse blah. My point is the blog may be slow for a couple of months but ultimately I am not going anywhere 🙂
What’s on the menu today, you ask? This GORGEOUS winter (or fall) salad. It is loaded with butternut squash, roasted brussels sprouts, pecans and cranberries, then drizzled with a sweet and tangy apple vinaigrette made from apple sauce. I may need a salad to get me back on the healthy band wagon but no one said it has to be a scant bowl of lettuce. I mean, a girl’s gotta eat AMMIRIGHT?
Now, I’m just going to let the pictures do the talking…..until next time 🙂
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 12-15 brussels sprouts, end chopped off and sliced in half
- 2 tbs balsamic vineger
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 bag mixed lettuce, preferred type
- Apple vinaigrette dressing:
- ½ cup apple sauce
- 3 tbs apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbs agave
- 1 tbs water
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Evenly layer butternut squash on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, dash with salt and pepper.
- Toss halved brussels sprouts in a large drizzle of olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, dash of salt and pepper and layer evenly on a second cookie sheet.
- Place both sheets in oven on two racks, butternut squash on top. Roast for 20 minutes, checking occasionally. Switch the veggies onto opposite racks and roast for another 10 minutes.
- Take out of oven and allow to cool.
- While veggies are roasting, combing dressing ingredients into a bullet blender (or regular sized blender. Blend, then taste. If you want sweeter add agave if you want more tangy ass more vinegar.Set aside.
- Once roasted veggies have mostly cooled, assemble your salad. Add lettuce, cranberries, brussels sprouts, squash, pecans and then drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!
Jack Stone says
Looks appetizing!