Immune-boosting kale, squash, purple cabbage, arugula, almonds, basil and pears are all tossed in a tangy-sweet dressing. To add more protein, you could add grilled shrimp or salmon.
This healthy vegetarian main dish salad is inspired by Sweetgreen’s Winter Squash Salad loaded with lots of nourishing, colorful fruits and veggies. Yesterday I shared this Warm Curry Roasted Butternut Squash and Veggie Salad. Today’s salad is enjoyed cold with hearty vegetables that last a while in the refrigerator.
Hi Everyone, I’m Heather K. Jones. I’m a dietitian, the nutrition expert for the Skinnytaste cookbooks, and the founder of Feel Better Eat Better, an online weight loss program for women who struggle with emotional eating, overeating or body image issues.
In this time of uncertainty, being kind, loving and nurturing to ourselves and each other is more important than ever.
And if your emotional eating is especially unbalanced right now, I want to remind you to please be easy with yourself. We often use food in a conscious or unconscious attempt to suppress or soothe uncomfortable emotions, or to try to feel grounded and safe.
Right now in my free Feel Better Eat Better Facebook group I’m sharing videos with tools for dealing with anxiety and emotional eating. And right here you’ll find lots of free resources to love yourself healthy.
It’s also more important than ever to be MINDFUL about what we are choosing to consume. For me this means less news, less social media and less technology… and more meditation, more reading, more creativity and more vegetables!
This delicious and satisfying salad was inspired by a salad from Sweetgreen, a fast-casual restaurant chain with “simple, seasonal, healthy salads and grain bowls.” Immune-boosting kale, squash, purple cabbage, arugula, almonds, basil and pears are all tossed in a tangy-sweet dressing. To make it even more filling, you could add grilled shrimp or salmon.
Variations:
Use whatever you have on hand and swap out what you don’t!
- Cheese – Swap out the blue cheese for gorgonzola or leave it out to make it dairy-free.
- Pears – they can be replaced with red or green apples.
- Arugula – swap it out for any mixed baby greens.
Kale and Squash Salad
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Immune-boosting kale, squash, purple cabbage, arugula, almonds, basil and pears are all tossed in a tangy-sweet dressing. To add more protein, you could add grilled shrimp or salmon.
For the salad:
- Olive oil spray
- 10 ounces from 1 small butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 10 medium Lacinato kale leaves, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 small pear, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (I used D’anjou)
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
- 1 ounce crumbled bleu cheese
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon water
- Pinch kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a medium sheet pan with oil, add the squash, oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat.
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Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until fork tender and browned on the edges.
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Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until emulsified and combined. Set aside.
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In 2 shallow bowls, combine the kale, arugula and basil. Toss to combine.
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Top each with ½ the pear, ½ cup cabbage, 1 tablespoon almonds and ½ ounce bleu cheese.
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Top each with 2 tablespoons dressing and serve.
Serving: 1bowl (1/2 the salad), Calories: 428kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 5.5g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 456mg, Fiber: 8.5g, Sugar: 17g
Blue Smart Points: 10
Green Smart Points: 10
Purple Smart Points: 10
Keywords: kale butternut squash salad