Bacon. Salad. Squash. Fall. Color.

The perfect way to enjoy your veggies!  To be honest, I am not a huge  vegetable person. Yes, surprising—but I do love fresh vegetables and salad with the right ingredients and flavor combination.  This harvest salad has that great sweet and salty combination and adds beautiful color to your dinner plate.  My parents have been visiting this week, and we gobbled up the entire bowl! My dad can’t stop talking about it—I guess if salad is “man-food” approved it must be pretty good 🙂

Of all the orange squashes, Kabocha squash is my favorite!  It is known for its sweet flavor and is a staple ingredient in Asian dishes.  Kabocha squash bursts with bright orange color and brings life and color to your kitchen.  Roasted Kabocha squash can be served as a simple dessert with a dash of cinnamon and a dollop of whipped cream.  Squash is a great source of live carbohydrates and always a comfort food!

Happy fall. May this cheery harvest salad color your plate!

Bon appétit!

Harvest Salad

Salad Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch arugula
• 1/2 bunch spinach
• 1/2 kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkins squash)
• 3 small beets or 1 large beet
• 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled* (omit if paleo or intolerant)
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

For roasting vegetables

• Olive oil, to drizzle over vegetables
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Dressing**

• 1 cup olive oil
• 6 tbsp champagne vinegar
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh horseradish sauce
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

**will have left over salad dressing

Roasting beets and squash

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Rinse beets and squash.
• Cut tops and ends off beets and thinly slice into 1/4 inch rounds.
• Place beets on baking sheet. Lightly spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully slice squash in half, quarters, and then slice quarters in half—1 squash should create 8-10 slices depending on the size.
• Place on baking sheet. Drizzle squash with olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt and a dash of cinnamon & nutmeg on top.
• Roast beets and squash for 20 minutes.  Flip and continue roasting for 25 additional minutes.
• Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.

To assemble

In a large salad bowl, layer greens on the bottom.  Arrange squash slices, beets, bacon, feta, and pumpkin seeds on top.  Drizzle dressing on salad, toss and serve.