Spiced Squash, Lentil, & Goat Cheese Salad

Sorry for the lack of posts lately – two Saturdays ago I travelled up to Northern Ontario to visit family for Thanksgiving and stayed just over a week.   I had fully intended to go about my regular routine while I was up there, getting lots of work done, staying caught up with my Feedly reader, and writing a couple blog posts, but before I knew it I was boarding a plane back home and I’d done almost none of the above.  I really have no idea where the time went, though I do know I enjoyed it!

As usual, I was spoiled on my trip and almost never had to make any food for myself.  The one dish I made the whole week was this squash and lentil salad, which we enjoyed with some butternut squash soup as a nice lighter meal after our big Thanksgiving feast. I offered to make it because I’d been eating it for my lunches the whole week before I left and I loved it so much that it was still on my mind!

Somehow, whenever I’m under pressure to make something for guests, it never turns out as well as when I make it the exact same way for myself at home (or maybe I'm extra critical when I know it's being judged), but everyone still enjoyed it!

This salad is bursting with fall flavour and is hearty and filling thanks to the lentils and squash, while still feeling light and healthful.  It takes a bit of time to roast the squash and cook the lentils, but other than that everything comes together pretty easily.  I didn’t change much from the original Bon Appetit recipe except to add pumpkin seeds and cranberries, which add some crunch, sweetness, and even more of a festive feel to the salad.  

I can't believe that now that I'm back, it's already time (or past time) to start thinking of Halloween recipes!  It's crazy how fast October is flying by - hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am!

Spiced Squash, Lentil, & Goat Cheese Salad

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Makes about 4 large (main) or 8 small (side) servings

Ingredients:

1 large (around 2 pound) butternut squash

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or paprika plus a dash of cayenne if you don’t have smoked paprika)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup green or brown lentils

4 cups baby arugula

3/4 to 1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 tablesoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Peel butternut squash, remove seeds, and cut into about 1” cubes.  I find it easier to cut squash after microwaving it first – just prick it all over with a fork or small knife and microwave on high for about a minute.  Toss cubes of squash with 2 tablespoons oil, the cumin, paprika, and salt.  Spread squash in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.  Toss, return to oven, and roast for another 10-15 minutes.  Let cool.

Meanwhile, bring around 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add lentils, cover, reduce heat to simmer, and let cook for about 30 minutes, until tender but firm.  Drain and rinse lentils under cold water.

Combine lentils, squash, arugula, about half the goat cheese, pepitas, cranberries, balsamic vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Divide into servings and top each with remaining goat cheese.

Chicken, Pear, & Goat Cheese Salad with Wheat Beer Vinaigrette

Now that fall has officially begun, I’m craving all things autumn: apples, pears, cranberries, squash, sweet potatoes, apple cider, warm drinks, and pumpkin everything, though I’ve had particular cravings for pumpkin baked goods and pumpkin pie. It’s crazy to think that (Canadian) Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away and I haven’t made anything with pumpkin yet – I think that needs to change this weekend!

But before I start baking, my first venture into comforting fall dishes began a little healthier with this salad!

I’ve been wanting to try using beer in a vinaigrette for a while now - the house salad at a popular restaurant chain around here includes a beer dressing, and though you can’t taste it, the idea of including beer in your dressing makes the idea of salad for dinner so much more exciting!  So I found a recipe for a pear and walnut salad with wheat beer vinaigrette from Vegetarian Times and used that as a base for the salad that I had in mind.

Wheat beer is pretty mild, but when you reduce it, it intensifies in flavour (which is why you don’t want to start with a strong or bitter beer).  Once you add all the other ingredients for the dressing though, you’d have no idea there’s beer in there, it just subtly enhances the flavour in a nice way that complements the other fall ingredients in the salad – including pears, goat cheese, pecans, cranberries, and chicken.

I loved this salad as is (and think it would be great for Thanksgiving!), but you could also make tons of substitutions to it to make it your own. Blue cheese instead of goat cheese would be delicious, or apples instead of pears, walnuts instead of pecans, spinach or arugula instead of mixed greens, or even leave out the chicken for a vegetarian side salad. You could also of course use any dressing you like if you don't keep beer in the house - a maple balsamic vinaigrette would probably taste great!

Hope you all enjoy the first official full weekend of fall!

Chicken, Pear, & Goat Cheese Salad with Wheat Beer Vinaigrette

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

Serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons wheat beer

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/2 tablespoon honey

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)

1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper

For the Salad:

~4 cups mixed salad greens

2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

2 ripe bosc or red-skinned pears, halved, cored and thinly sliced

3 oz goat cheese, crumbled (or as an alternative you could use blue cheese)

1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Prepare the vinaigrette: Add wheat beer to a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and let simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 5-7 minutes).  Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining dressing ingredients (shallot through to pepper).  Set aside.

Prepare the salad: Divide greens among 4 plates or bowls.  Top each salad with sliced chicken and pears, and sprinkle pecans, cranberries, and goat cheese on top.  Drizzle each salad with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Note: All amounts are approximations - adjust based on your own tastes if desired.

Warm Quinoa Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Chickpeas & Cranberries

I’m guessing that a lot of people are busy today either running around doing last minute shopping for the holidays, staring at the clock waiting for work to be over and holidays to start, or working more than ever during the busy retail season, so I’ll try to keep today’s post short and to the point!

This warm quinoa salad has lots of roasted brussels sprouts, some toasted walnuts for crunch, dried cranberries for sweetness, and chickpeas for added protein (although quinoa is a complete protein itself), all tossed in a light balsamic dressing. It’s healthy and light but still pretty filling and satisfying. I’ve been enjoying it as a nutritious meal in between holiday indulgences, but it would also make a great dish to serve at a big holiday meal – it’s both vegan and gluten-free, so it’s perfect if you’re looking for something that everyone at the table can enjoy! And I didn’t think of this until after but it would look even more festive with some pomegranate seeds thrown in there!

If brussels sprouts aren’t your thing, you could try this sweet potato and kale quinoa salad I made around this time last year – I know I’ll be making big batches of both of these over the next couple weeks!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Warm Quinoa Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Chickpeas & Cranberries

Adapted from Vegetarian Times, October 2012

Serves 3-4 as a main dish

Ingredients:

1-1/4 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1-1/2 cups water

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1-1/2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed

For the Dressing:

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°F.  Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until browned and tender, tossing once.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat to simmer and let simmer 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes, covered, then fluff with a fork.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Taste and adjust any amounts to your liking.  Note that this makes a small amount (just enough) of dressing because I don’t like to add too much to my quinoa, but if you like more dressing you can double the ingredients and use as much as you like.

Mix together the quinoa, brussels sprouts, walnuts, cranberries, and chickpeas.  Drizzle the dressing overtop and toss.  Serve warm.

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Cranberry Quinoa Salad

After the Toblerone cheesecake bars I last posted, I felt obligated to share something a little more on the healthy side today!

Quinoa has become a very popular “superfood” in the last few years, and there’s a ton of info out there about its nutritional value so I won’t repeat it all here (but check out this link if you want a quick overview). Quinoa’s one of my favourite things to cook with because it’s so versatile and works great in big batches of healthy dishes that I can eat throughout the week for healthy and energizing lunches or dinners.

While this dish isn’t a revolutionary new way to eat quinoa or anything, it’s a really tasty and healthy meal that makes a great addition to your repertoire of quinoa recipes. Protein-rich quinoa is combined with even more nutritious ingredients like sweet potatoes and kale, with some pearl onions and cranberries thrown in for added sweetness and texture.

I loved the combination of all those ingredients, but the balsamic dressing really tied it all together and soaked right into the quinoa to boost the flavour of the dish even more. I love adding flavourful dressings to dishes like this, but if you aren't a big fan of balsamic or find it overpowering, you may want to start by adding less of the dressing and tasting it to make sure you add the amount that suits your taste.

A sprinkle of pecans on top added the perfect finishing crunch to the dish (I recommend adding them individually to each serving so that they don’t get soggy). And if you wanted this to pack even more of a "superfood" punch, I bet pomegranate seeds in place of cranberries would be a great substitution!

I actually made this back in December when I wanted to have a big bowl of something healthy on hand for the holiday madness, and my sister and I loved grabbing servings of it for lunches for at least a week. Even Ryan, who is usually pretty skeptical of “healthy food”, enjoyed it for a few lunches himself too. So whether you’re a quinoa lover or skeptic, you’ll love this easy and satisfying dish!

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Adapted from Domestic Fits

Serves at least 4 as a main, or serves a crowd as a side

Ingredients:

For the quinoa:

1 package quinoa, about 3-4 cups cooked
2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups pearl onions
1 bunch of kale, leaves finely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries

For the dressing:

1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Optional add-in: 1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans

Directions:

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.

Cook the sweet potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until tender, about 7-10 minutes. Drain.

Cook the pearl onions in a medium pot of boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Cut off the ends, peel the outer layer, then chop the onions.

If desired, blanch the kale in a pot of simmering water for one minute, then drain. I prefer the kale this way rather than raw, but you can leave it raw if you like.

In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. If serving the entire amount at once, mix the pecans in along with all the other ingredients. If planning to have leftovers, add the pecans before serving so they don’t get soggy.

*Keep leftovers refrigerated. Can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature - I enjoyed it each way!

Thanksgiving Week Day 4 - Pumpkin, Cranberry & Goat Cheese Salad

The next component of my Thanksgiving Week recipes is the salad. This often seems to be the least exciting part of the meal, and I usually find myself skipping the salad because I don’t want to waste precious room in my stomach on boring greens when there are so many other delicious dishes to choose from. With that in mind, I wanted to choose a recipe that people would really want to make space for – both on their plates and in their stomachs! So when I came across a recipe for a pumpkin salad with maple vinaigrette in my favourite Cooking Light book (Cooking through the Seasons), I knew it would be a success.

I made quite a few changes to the recipe, drawing some inspiration from a similar Whole Living recipe, and adding in some ingredients that I thought would go well in this salad. The end result was fantastic! The roasted pumpkin, cranberries, and goat cheese all complemented each other really nicely and the addition of the maple vinaigrette just made this salad scream of Fall and Thanksgiving.

This was my first time roasting a pie pumpkin, since I usually stick to the canned stuff. If you’ve never bought one, they might also be called sugar pumpkins or sweet pumpkins, and they’re much smaller than the pumpkins you carve for Halloween. Just look for the cutest little pumpkins in the store and those should be them :) Pie pumpkins are usually cut in half then roasted whole when they’re being used for pie filling, but for this recipe you want to have cubes of pumpkin, so you’ll have to cut it up before roasting. They can be a little hard to cut through, and you’ll have to use a large sharp knife, so just be careful when you’re doing this!

It’s a little difficult to write ingredient amounts for a salad because they are so adaptable to your own taste, and I only tested an individual serving when I made this. I did my best with the amounts below, but just use your eyes as a guide and adjust any of the amounts based on what you think is appropriate. As long as you get the key ingredients in there, this is sure to be a salad that people will make room for this Thanksgiving!

And for another unique salad idea, be sure to check out the warm brussel sprouts toss recipe over at Vanilla & Spice for Day 4 of her Thanksgiving Week!

Pumpkin, Cranberry, and Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Adapted from Cooking Light and Whole Living

Serves 4-7

Ingredients:

1 pie pumpkin (also known as a sugar pumpkin or sweet pumpkin)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 (5-6 oz) container mixed greens

1/4 cup roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – I bought these, but you could roast your own using the seeds of the pumpkin

1/2 to 1 cup dried cranberries

~5 oz goat cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice the pumpkin in half using a sharp knife (if it’s too difficult to cut through, try microwaving the pumpkin briefly to soften it up – just be sure to cut a few slits through the skin first to let moisture seep out). Scoop out the flesh and seeds with an ice cream scoop. Peel off the skin and cut the flesh into bite sized chunks. Toss chunks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then roast on a baking sheet until tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Assemble the salad by mixing together desired amounts of mixed greens, roasted pumpkin, pepitas, cranberries, and goat cheese, then toss with desired amount of dressing.

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For other Thanksgiving salad ideas, check out these links:

Thanksgiving Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Almonds, and Goat Cheese from Kalyn’s Kitchen

Roasted sweet potato, apple, and spinach salad from Two Peas & Their Pod

Arugula with pomegranates, blue cheese, and pistachios from Skinny Taste

Winter salad with roasted squash and pomegranate vinaigrette from Eating Well

Apple, dried cherry, and walnut salad with maple dressing from Bon Appetit

Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Salad with Spiced Pecan Vinaigrette from Fine Cooking

Roasted Squash, Chestnut, and Chicory Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette from Gourmet

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