Kale Harvest Salad with Roasted Squash

Serves 4

This salad is the perfect way to use up leftover ingredients from your fridge and get you in the spirit of fall. It marinates as it sits which makes it perfect for meal prep. I used red kabocha squash, but delicata or butternut are fantastic options as well. Feel free to make it your own by adding in additional greens, pomegranate, or crumbled cheese. For a vegetarian option, remove the chicken and add in an additional plant-based protein for a full meal.

Ingredients

1 lb squash (red kabocha squash)

2 tbsp olive oil 

1/4 tsp salt

Pepper 

½ cup quinoa

1 lb roasted chicken thighs, chopped into small pieces 

1 bunch kale, destemmed 

1 tsp oil

 2 apples, diced 

⅓ cup dried cranberries 

⅓ cup chopped nuts or seeds (almond, pumpkin seeds or any other)

Fig Vinaigrette Dressing 

2-3 tbsps fig jam (or honey)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic

2 tbsps sherry vinegar

¾ tsp salt

¼ c olive oil  

Optional Add-ins

Other greens (radicchio, cabbage, arugula, etc.)

Pomegranate seeds

Crumbled feta or goat cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes. Mix squash with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on a sheet pan. Cook for 16 minutes, and then flip the squash and roast for an additional 10 minutes before removing from the oven. If your chicken is uncooked, roast it while the squash is roasting 

Place quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Let stand covered for about 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. 

Thinly slice the washed and destemmed kale. Add the kale to a large bowl with 1 tsp oil and an additional pinch of salt and use your hands to massage and soften. 

Assemble the remainder of the salad directly into the bowl with the massaged kale. Add the roasted squash, cooked quinoa, diced apples, cranberries, chopped nuts, and chopped roasted chicken.

For the dressing, add the fig jam, lemon juice, and microplaned or finely mince the garlic to a small bowl or jar, whisking together. Add salt, pepper, sherry vinegar, and olive oil and mix thoroughly. 

Pour the dressing over the salad, using as much as desired. You may have a little dressing leftover which is perfect to save for future salads. Mix, serve with a fresh lemon wedge and enjoy.