Kale and Squash Salad

A perfect lunch or side dish with a nice mix of fall and fresh!

Ingredients you will need:

• 1 acorn squash (medium-sized)
• 3 beets (uncooked)
• 3 Tbs. olive oil (divided)
• 1 tsp. zaatar seasoning
• 2 tsp. garlic salt (divided)
• Black pepper
• 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1 big bunch of kale
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 apple
• 1/4 cup brie cheese
• Parmesan cheese (for a garnish)

For the dressing:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 450°F to roast the acorn squash and beets.

Chop the acorn squash in half and scoop all the seeds out of the middle. Then cut each half into 1/2 thick slices. Lay the sliced squash onto a cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbs. of olive oil, zaatar, and 1 tsp. of garlic salt. Mix the squash so each piece is evenly coated in oil and seasonings. Arrange the slices so each one is thick side down on the cookie sheet and are not overlapping each other. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway. They are done once the center is soft and the outside it golden and crunchy. Once cooked and slightly cooled, cut the slices into bite-sized chunks.

Peel the beets (either with a knife or peeler) and chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Coat the chopped beets in 1 Tbs. of olive oil and 1 tsp. garlic salt. Spread the beets in an even layer on a cookie sheet and place into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they become soft. While they are baking make your honey/balsamic glaze by mixing honey and balsamic vinegar together. Once the beets are soft, pour the glaze over them and mix until each piece is evenly covered and put back into the oven for 10 minutes.

Rough chop the almonds and toast them lightly in the oven while the other veggies are roasting. They should toast for 7-10 minutes or until golden and nutty smelling. Make sure to set a timer and keep a close eye on your almonds while in the oven, they can burn quickly if you’re not careful.

While everything is baking its time to chop up the rest of the salad. Start by washing and de-ribbing your kale and chopping it into bite-sized pieces. Dump your kale into a big bowl and squeeze 1/2 lemon over it. Then, using your hands, massage the lemon juice into the kale to tenderize it. Then cut the apple and brie cheese into bite-sized pieces.

Finally, mix up the dressing. In a small jar, pour all of the dressing ingredients together. Put a tight lid on the jar and shake until the dressing is fully mixed together.

Now it’s time to layer and mix the salad! Dump the squash, beets, almonds, apple, and brie on top of the kale and mix together. Pour some of the dressing on the salad and mix again. Repeat until the salad is coated with dressing to your liking. Finish off the salad with a garnish of fresh grated parmesan cheese, and the salad is ready to be enjoyed!

Number of Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts/serving: 319 kcal, 19g fat, 33g carbs, 8g fiber, 16g sugar, 8g protein