Harvest Salad

I have a love/hate relationship with salads. I love how all of the fresh flavors come together in one delicious bite. I hate that I’m starving two hours later! This salad has become the best of both worlds – hearty and fresh. The answer to all of your prayers for a satisfying winter salad has arrived in the form of a mouthwatering, can’t get enough, I-want-to-eat-this-everyday, Harvest Salad.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Baby Arugula
• Butternut Squash
• Bacon
• Pomegranate
• Goat Cheese
• Kalamata Olives
• Maple Dijon Vinaigrette (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spread cubed butternut squash onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt. Toss with your hands to thoroughly coat. Make sure there’s plenty of room between each piece – you don’t want to crowd these guys. Slide into the oven for 25-30 minutes. (Note: I use pre-cubed, frozen butternut squash. It’s not very expensive and it saves me so much time!)
3. Line a separate baking sheet with foil. Place 4-5 strips of bacon onto the foil. Bake at 400 for 17-18 minutes. We want the bacon to be extra crispy! Allow bacon to drain excess fat onto paper towels before crumbling into small pieces.
4. Fill a salad bowl with rinsed baby arugula. Top with roasted butternut squash, crumbled bacon, pomegranate arils, kalamata olives, and crumbled goat cheese. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette.
5. Meal Prep Tip: All of these ingredients can be prepped in batches ahead of time, making you the savviest cook in town! Cover baking sheet of roasted butternut squash with wax paper and leave on the counter. Store crumbled bacon in a paper towel-lined container and leave on the counter. Peel pomegranate and store arils in a glass airtight container in the fridge. Make Maple Dijon Vinaigrette in a glass jar with lid and store on the counter – just give it a shake to mix again. Scoop a little bit of everything into a bowl for hearty, fresh, and easy lunches all week long.

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• 2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 TBS whole grain dijon mustard
• 1-2 TBS Pure Maple Syrup

1. Combine ingredients and whisk together until fully incorporated.
2. Keep on the counter up to 5 days. (This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to make large batches to use all week long. This makes a tasty marinade as well).

What we have now is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. The colors in this salad make this a simple and festive holiday side, sure to impress even the most avid salad-haters. Peppery arugula, toasty butternut squash, crispy bacon, tart pomegranate, salty Kalamata olives, creamy goat cheese, and a Maple Dijon drizzle – yes, please! The best flavors of winter to keep you warm and satisfied.