Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad with Chickpeas & Cranberries
Course: Appetizers, Dinner, EZPZ, Lunch, SaladsDifficulty: EasyServings
4
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking time
45
minutesIngredients
- For Salad
2 lb butternut squash (or use pre-cut squash)
2-4 tsp AOOC Blood Orange Fused Olive Oil or EVOO of your choice
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 cups chopped curly kale
15 oz canned chickpeas
¼ tsp salt
1 cup fresh cranberries
honey for drizzling
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional but delicious)
- For Crispy Chickpea Seasoning Blend
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
⅛ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp black pepper
- For Zesty Orange Dressing
2 tbsp AOOC Butternut Squash Seed Oil or Roasted Pumpkin Seed Oil
2 tbsp orange juice (I juiced a mandarin orange)
2 tsp AOOC Pumpkin Pie Spice Balsamic
⅛ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Next, peel and cube your squash and toss with 1-2 tsp Blood Orange Olive Oil.
- Season with salt and pepper (I add about ⅛ tsp of each) and place in a single layer on a greased or lined baking sheet. Set timer for 15 minutes.
- Now wash and dry your chopped kale, add to a large bowl, and drizzle kale with 1 tsp of your Blood Orange Olive Oil and a pinch of salt.
- Massage with your fingers until kale darkens in color and takes on a velvety texture. (This little rubdown turns dry kale into a tender and delicious salad green!) Set aside.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.
- Next drain, rinse, and blot dry chickpeas with a few paper towels and toss with 2 tsp oil and season with ¼ tsp salt.
- Place on a small baking sheet and spread them out a bit. Drizzle cranberries with a teeny bit of oil and place on the opposite side of the chickpeas.
- After the squash has been roasting for about 15 minutes add your cranberries and chickpeas to the oven and set timer for additional 20 minutes. (The chickpeas will crisp up and the cranberries will lightly roast and burst.)
- Once everything is ready, pull your goodies from the oven and drizzle some fresh raw honey over the cranberries.
- Next sprinkle the seasoning blend over the hot chickpeas and mix it all up to coat.
- Top your kale with fresh from the oven squash, cranberries, and chickpeas and optional feta cheese. Serve with dressing for drizzling (whisk again before serving) and enjoy!