This colorful, nutrient-rich salad is savory but slightly sweet and will become a favorite addition to your Thanksgiving meal. The crunch from the walnuts and pomegranate seeds provides a nice contrast to the soft roasted butternut squash, and the flavors are all brought together with a bright lemon maple vinaigrette. Even if you are a lover of traditional Thanksgiving dishes, you can still enjoy all the classics while adding this vegetable-forward, lighter addition to your holiday spread.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, cut into 3/4" cubes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts*
- 2 large bunches Tuscan kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place squash cubes on baking sheet, drizzle 1 tsp. olive oil over squash. Add whole garlic cloves, turmeric and salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to evenly coat squash with oil and spices. Spread cubes evenly around pan and roast for 30-40 minutes until squash is tender.
- While squash is roasting, heat 1 tsp. olive oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, 2–3 minutes. Set aside.
- Place kale in bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and pinch of sea salt and massage into kale to wilt. Set aside.
- When squash and garlic are cooked, remove garlic and put squash in a separate bowl. Add remaining olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, syrup, mustard and shallot; pulse in food processor until smooth to create a dressing.
- In large mixing bowl, combine kale with about 3/4 of dressing, and toss until kale is lightly coated. Add more dressing to taste and reserve any leftover for another use.
- Add roasted squash and pomegranate seeds to kale; toss to combine. Transfer to serving bowl; top with toasted walnuts.
Notes
*You may substitute pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds for the chopped walnuts.
This recipe contains cancer fighting foods:
This recipe was specially crafted to support cancer prevention and survival. It adheres to AICR's Cancer Prevention Recommendations. Learn more about our recipe guidelines.
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Chemo requires cooked food
I can’t eat raw fruits or vegetables per my oncologist while getting chemo.
