Winter Whatever Salad
I call this the “whatever” salad because it’s so incredibly versatile! You can swap out several of the ingredients and the end result is delicious every time!
I love how versatile this salad is. No matter how I’ve made it - we can’t stop eating it! The cinnamon dressing makes the salad. You’ll want to pour it on everything!
This salad is great warm on the day it is made and also terrific cold. It lasts for days in the fridge!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked farro (but I’ve also used brown rice and quinoa)
3 cups cubed butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (I like using the pre-cut bags from @traderjoes - I use 2. You can also use beets, carrots, sweet potatoes - literally any root veggies would be good).
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
garlic powder
1 cup whole pecans (or walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup dried cranberries (or cherries)
4 oz feta (or goat cheese)
1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed, chopped tiny, and massaged with a little olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
SALAD DRESSING
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons agave (or honey or even hot honey is great)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
HOW TO MAKE IT
Oven to 425. On a parchment lined baking pan add the butternut squash. Toss with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Roast for 20-30 min until tender.
Cook the farro or grain of your choice according to the directions on the package. Adding salt to the water while cooking is always a great idea for this type of salad.
Toast the pecans or nut of your choice in a skillet. Add maple syrup. Cook just until it’s a thick sticky mess. Pour onto parchment paper to cool.
To make the dressing add all the ingredients to a mason jar and shake well to mix or you can whisk everything together in a small bowl.
In a large serving bowl add the cranberries and pour the hot farro over them - let sit for 2-3 minutes so the cranberries plump up. Add the hot butternut squash. Then top with kale, parsley, feta cheese, and nuts. Top with the dressing. Mix well!
The cinnamon dressing is what makes this salad. You will love it! A salad that literally tastes like Christmas? How is this possible?
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