It’s officially Spring in Canada, but Winter is hanging on for one more round, so I tried to embrace it and cooked up this salad one more time. I can’t believe I haven’t shared it yet so now is as good a time as any! It’s a surprising balance of hearty and filling, yet also light and energizing. There are so many ways to customize this salad so I hope you have fun with it!
Total Prep Time: 50 minutes
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 lb Butternut squash, diced into small cubes (I buy a pre-diced package)
2 Broccoli crowns, cut into florets
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 cup Quinoa
5 oz Baby spinach
1/3 cup Dried cranberries
1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds (unsalted and roasted)
1/2 cup Feta, crumbled
1/4 cup Olive oil
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Oregano
Salt & pepper
Directions:
In a deep roasting pan, drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the butternut squash and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and then roast at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until squash is tender and starts to brown.
While the veggies are roasting, cook the quinoa according to the pack’s directions and set aside to cool.
In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, feta, quinoa and roasted veggies. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil (1/4 cup), apple cider vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss, and enjoy!
Choose your own adventure:
You can use any veggies to be roasted. I usually stick with a root veg (sweet potato or any squash) and a cruciferous veg (broccoli, cauliflower, or brussels sprouts), but peppers also work well.
Avocado is a nice addition as garnish on top.
Sub the spinach for arugula for a bit more bite and a peppery taste.
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