Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

A few nights ago my grandmother came over for dinner and my mom and I prepared baked chicken parmesan and cheese börek. In addition, I also made an almost-salad by roasting some butternut squash and plating it over a bed of lightly mixed leaves with balsamic vinegar. The dish was extremely simple but so tasty. I was a little concerned that the butternut squash might be too sweet but the acidity of the balsamic vinegar helped to balance the flavor. I also took the leftovers with me to work the next day for lunch and it still tasted just as good, though the leaves were a little wilted.

During dinner my grandmother also inquired about how to properly prepare quinoa as she had recently bought some at Costco. She explained that after coming home from a previous dinner at our house, my grandfather commented on how much he enjoyed my roasted beet quinoa salad. I gave her the recipe and directions, with some helpful explanations from my mom, and she said she would try to make it. Halfway through dinner my brother came home and spent the rest of the evening entertaining us with his less-than-perfect but hilarious Russian skills.

Roasted Butternut Squash

• 2 lbs (about 6 cups) butternut squash, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
• Handful basil leaves, finely chopped
• Salad leaves (spinach, arugula, kale, etc)
• Sunflower seeds
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. In a large bowl toss the cubed butternut squash with the coconut oil, chopped rosemary and basil, some olive oil, and salt and pepper. Make sure all of the butternut squash is well coated with the oils and seasonings.
2. Lay the pieces in a single layer on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the pieces are fork tender. Stir the squash every 10 minutes to ensure even baking.
3. While the squash is baking, toast some sunflower seeds for about five minutes over medium heat or until they just start to color and sizzle. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Toss the salad leaves with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well to ensure all the leaves are dressed.
5. Once the butternut squash is ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before plating the pieces over the salad leaves. Sprinkle with the toasted sunflower seeds over top.