Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Preheat the oven the 400F.

If using a whole 2 pound butternut squash, cut in half and peel the skin off with a knife (not a peeler). Then cut the squash into bite size pieces. If you are using the pre-chopped butternut squash, chances are that you will have the cut the pieces a bit smaller anyway. I would say they should be approximately 1-inch cubes.

Then in a bowl toss the squash with the olive oil and sprinkle over the pumpkin pie spice and the salt and pepper and toss again. Spread the squash evenly over a rimmed baking sheet and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. You don’t want your squash to be mushy or it won’t work in the salad! Remove from the oven and let cool.

In a large bowl place the baby greens (I usually get the organic containers from the grocery store and two should do it, just fill the bowl to the top), the onion, the apple and 1/4 cup cranberries. Toss. Wait to crumble the chevre over the top until you’ve mixed in the dressing.

Dressing:

In a blender combine the 1/2 cup of olive oil, remaining 1/4 cup cranberries, 3 Tablespoons vinegar, honey, dijon, salt and pepper until you get a smooth consistency. This dressing will be thick. Place in a mason jar and wait to serve. This will keep in the fridge for 3 days. If it is too thick in the refrigerator, place the jar in the microwave for about 15 seconds.

Just before serving, use about 1/2 of the dressing to coat the salad and then toss on the pecans and crumble on the goat cheese and serve! It is sooo easy to make, but everyone will think you are the new gourmet! If you are making this salad to accompany salmon or steak, you can take out the goat cheese, or just cut the amount by 1/2.

This salad can easily be divided to make enough for just 1, 2 or 4 people. Some weeks I just roast the butternut squash and keep it in a container in the fridge. When I make my salad, I pull the squash out and toss 1/2 a cup on whatever salad I’m eating that night (I eat a salad almost every day).