Squash, not just for fall!

Roasted acorn or carnival squash can be savory and sweet. This variety I would say is my favorite of winter squash. While roasting, add savory seasoning to this sweet squash and you will be able to just eat by itself. In today’s post we will add to a fresh salad with Pomegranate Honey Dressing.

Acorn squash is considered a winter squash, but they belong to the same species as summer squash. Historically they were used by Native Americans and originated in North and Central America. My love of gardening will start to come out with the more I speak about produce. I have already started planning the gardens for 2020. You will get significant levels of vitamins and minerals with acorn squash. Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium and magnesium are just some of the nutrients you will find in this versatile squash.

Let’s get to this salad! I run across in the fall many squash salads with pomegranate seeds adorning the dish. The presentation is lively and inviting, but at times, pomegranate is not always available on a whim in rural America. Well, sometimes we just don’t want to deal with cutting the crown, scoring the quarters and getting the seeds of a pomegranate out either. Since we are fortunate to get pomegranate juice at about any market these days, I decided to use the juice as the dressing to pair with the squash and goat cheese.

When you are cutting any of the winter squash varieties plan on a sharp knife. It will make cutting a lot easier. Slice your squash in half and scoop out the seeds, remember, you can roast these seeds just as you would pumpkin seeds. Cut into chunks, toss in avocado oil with some STH seasoning and put in your air fryer. You will notice the squash I’m using for this salad is a carnival variety, acorn is a dark green, but taste identical in my opinion, with the same benefits.

Next grab around 3-4 dates, I have pitted deglet noor variety for this dish, but if you have medjool dates they are delicious. Just slice like the picture below and wrap in a little bit of foil. Put in your air fryer with around 6-8 minutes left on your squash. Here is where I purchased my airfryer. I consider my dates my version of candied bacon, now you will not get your salty flavor from bacon of course, but it’s a great addition to this salad.

While your squash is roasting with the dates, get started on your Pomegranate Honey Dressing. Grab a pint jar and add avocado oil, pomegranate juice, honey and a pinch of Real Salt. When making a vinaigrette/dressing, choose fresh squeezed or a pure juice. My opinion you will get a more prominent flavor instead of loaded sugar from a concentrate. If you have made many vinaigrettes/dressings you will see sugar is used often to make it sweeter. I have started using honey to sweeten with for a few reasons. First, it taste delicious, honey will not raise your blood sugar level as quickly as sugar and of course if you’re using local honey, it will help with seasonal allergies. If you’re taking for allergies, preferably harvested within a 30, no more than 50 mile radius to get full benefits of your home. Recommend 1 tablespoon a day, just a little side note here on our amazing honey bees work. Vinaigrette’s/Dressings are very simple and can be adjusted to your preference.

Now that your dressing is made, squash is about finished, let’s start plating.

I use romaine and spinach for the base of this salad, but I have already made this salad a couple of times over the past couple of days and blended baby arugula too. Remember to rinse and spin your greens, better safe then sorry. I prefer to use a plain goat cheese, but you could use a variety of flavored goat cheese. I put chunks of goat cheese all over the salad to mix the flavors well. Goat cheese is one of the lower sodium cheeses you can find. I would say I use between 1-2 ounce of goat cheese per salad so you’re about 140 mg sodium, this is Aldis plain goat cheese. Always check your sodium on cheese, you will be surprised if you haven’t looked into this before. When you’re squash and dates are finished. Place on greens and drizzle you’re vinaigrette on and enjoy this light, yet filling salad.

I added to this salad for a heartier meal for dinner by adding blueberries and chicken.

The squash, goat cheese and pomegranate honey dressing is flexible to add protein and fruit. Have fun with this salad.

Roasted Squash Goat Cheese Salad

2 servings

1 bunch Romaine Lettuce chopped

2 cups Fresh Spinach

1/2 Acorn Squash diced

3-4 Dates sliced

2 TBS Avocado Oil

pinch STH Seasoning

4 ounces Plain Goat cheese

Pomegranate Honey Dressing 1/2 cup Avocado/Olive Oil

3 TBS Pomegranate Juice

2 TBS Honey

1 pinch Real Salt

Place in jar seal with lid and shake to combine.

Wash your squash and chop, place in a bowl drizzle oil and pinch of STH Seasoning and mix, place in airfryer for 12 minutes at 400 degrees. When placing dates in Air fryer,6-8 minutes left of squash time, shake squash around. Clean mix chopped romaine and spinach together and place on two serving plates. Place goat cheese on plates along with roasted squash and dates. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

I hope you enjoy the 2nd light salad of the salad series. Let me know what additions you like to add to this salad or your favorite salad topping.