Oh man, the weather here over the weekend was absolute perfection. Windows were open, there was a crispness in the air, and I actually could feel fall. We had Parks' 1st birthday party and celebrated with friends and family and it couldn't have been a more perfect day. His birthday will always signify the start of fall since it's on October 1st, and to me it doesn't seem like fall until October. One of my favorite ways to get into any season is to start cooking with my favorite seasonal flavors. My roasted beet and acorn squash Autumn salad is the perfect side dish or meatless dinner that will have your tastebuds in total fall bliss!
For some reason, our brains are trained to think that salads are for summer and soups are for the cooler months, when in fact you can make a salads all year long by just swapping seasonal ingredients out! I love using different roasted vegetables in my fall salads to give them some heartiness and great texture!
This Autumn salad is full of color and is just as beautiful as it is tasty! There is nothing prettier to me than the color of these beets up against the mustard hue of the acorn squash. This salad would be a Thanksgiving side stunner, or the perfect light meal any day of the week!
Ingredients:
For the Salad-
3 Medium Sized Beets
1 Acorn Squash
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme
1 1/2 Tbsp. of Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
2 Cups of Baby Kale or Spinach
2 Oz of Goat Cheese
1 Cup of Cooked Farro (can swap for a wild rice or quinoa)
1/2 Cup of Pecan Halves
For the Dressing-
1 Shallot, Sliced Thin
1 Glove Minced Garlic
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Tsp. Cracked Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash beets and cut in half. Drizzle the beets with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with half of the salt and half of the pepper and toss to coat thoroughly. Wrap in aluminum foil tightly and roast for 45-60 minutes until the beets are fork tender.
Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice half rings about an inch thick of the acorn squash and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with the rest of the salt and pepper and thyme. Place the squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes until tender and caramelized. (You can roast the beets and the squash at the same time.)
While the vegetables are roasting, make your vinaigrette by combining all ingredients in a mason jar and shaking them well until the dressing is emulsified. (which means it has all come together and the oil has mixed with the rest of the ingredients)
When the beets are done roasting, let cool slightly and then remove the peeling by simply scraping the skin off of the beet. (Roasting makes this process very easy.)
Layer the baby kale or spinach on the bottom on a large serving platter and then arrange the squash and beets on top followed by the farro, goat cheese, and pecans.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over top of the salad and serve immediately or at room temperature.
If you don't think you are a beet person, give this salad a try, but if you still aren't a fan feel free to swap in roasted sweet potato wedges here or any other of your favorite fall veggies!
