Raise your hand if you need a salad after all the marathon eating sessions the past couple of days. I know I do!
It’s all about balance.
When I think fall, I think three things: winter squash, pecans, cranberries. You can put these three things together in almost anything and it will be good.
Squash, pecans, and cranberries in pancakes? Good.
In sticky buns? Good.
In a casserole? Good.
In this salad? So good.
A hearty, well balanced salad is one of my favorite lunches or dinners. It’s filling, but not too much. Light, but enough to keep you satisfied.
Plus, it’s just fun to toss together all your favorite things, add a simple dressing, and mix it together. This is playing with your food as an adult. Put all the fall things in one bowl and call it dinner!
For this mix, I started with one of Dole’s new chopped salad mixes, the Pomegranate – a mix of lettuce, cabbage, brussel sprouts, green onions, kale, carrots, pomegranate-infused cranberries, flaxseeds, and a pomegranate vinaigrette. We added a bit more punch with my favorite fall flavors, a drizzle of olive oil, and a bit more of my favorite balsamic vinegar.
I can’t wait to have this again! Maybe tomorrow.
Roasted Squash, Pecan, and Cranberry Chopped Salad
Salads don't have to be fussy to be delicious. The only prep for this is roasting the squash - and you can do that ahead of time, so there's no excuse NOT to try this fall mix!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Empty the salad contents into two separate bowls.
Place the squash pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown.
Let the squash cool for a few minutes.
Top the salads with the pecans, goat cheese, and squash.
Drizzle each salad with some of the dressing from the salad package, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a drizzle of the cherry balsamic vinegar. Top each with some salt and pepper and dig in.
As a Dole Ambassador, I am provided with products to sample and use in recipes throughout the year. As always, all opinions and recipes are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support us!
