Winter Salad with Delicata Squash and Spiced Pecans

When fall rolls around, I am still a huge salad fan. However, I do love to incorporate the fall flavors and seasonal produce into my salads. This is one of my favorites. The combination of hearty kale with sweet delicata squash, spiced pecans and cranberries is just perfection. Add to that a sweet and salty dressing with white balsamic and miso…you just can’t go wrong. I could eat this every day!

Image from eatingbirdfood.com

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale (I like green/purple kale in this, but any variety works)

1 Delicata Squash

1-8oz. bag of pecan halves, unsalted

1⁄2 cup dried cranberries (no sulfur and unsweetened if possible)

1⁄4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup walnut pieces

2 Tbsp. white miso

1⁄2 cup filtered water

Spices for Pecans:

Kosher salt, cumin, cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, coriander, and coconut sugar

1 egg white, beaten till frothy

Directions:

1. Prepare Spiced Pecans: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a 1/2 sheet pan by lining

   it with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine 2 tsp. kosher salt, 1⁄2 tsp. cumin, 1

   tsp. cayenne, 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp. coriander and 1⁄4 cup coconut

   sugar. In a medium sized bowl add 1 egg white and beat until frothy. Add all pecans to

   beaten egg white and toss until well coated. Add seasoning mixture to nuts and toss

   well until all nuts are well coated. Pour out onto prepared pan and roast for about 25

   minutes, until toasted and crunchy. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight

   container until use.

2. Roast Delicata Squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Do not peel squash. Simply clean,

   cut off ends and cut squash lengthwise. Using a tablespoon, scoop out seeds. Then

   slice each squash 1⁄2 into 1⁄4 inch slices. Place squash pieces onto a 1⁄2 sheet pan. Drizzle

   with avocado oil and kosher salt. Toss until well coated and roast for 25-30 minutes

   until squash is tender and lightly browned on the edges.

3. Make Salad Dressing: Place 1⁄4 cup white balsamic vinegar, 1⁄4 cup olive oil, 1⁄2 cup walnut

   pieces, 2 Tbsp. white miso and 1⁄2 cup filtered water into the bowl of your blender.

   Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth and thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper

   as needed.

4. Clean and chop kale into thin strips. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Massage

   kale for 1-2 minutes. Drizzle with about 1⁄2 cup of Salad Dressing and toss to coat evenly.

5. Assemble Salad: Place dressed kale in salad bowl. Top with delicata squash, dried cranberries, 1 cup of spiced pecans (save the rest for a later use). Drizzle with more dressing and serve!

Optional additions:

Protein of choice, chopped persimmon, roasted beets, hemp seed hearts, goat cheese (if tolerated)