Fall Salad

This fall salad is autumn in a bowl! It’s irresistibly delicious, fresh, vibrant, satisfying and gorgeous for potlucks, thanksgiving and Christmas! It is loaded with sweet crisp apples and pears, savory roasted butternut squash, crunchy caramelized pecans, punchy red onions, tangy Gorgonzola cheese, sweet tart pomegranate seeds, fresh spring mix lettuce all drizzled with sweet, bright and tangy Pomegranate dressing. It’s a symphony of sweet, salty, savory, and crunchy, creamy, light and satisfying.

📝 Ingredients

• 12 oz. spring salad mix
• 1 pear (sliced or chopped)
• 1 sweet apple (sliced or chopped)
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup roasted salted pepitas
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 4 oz. soft crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 1 Recipe 5 Minute Perfect Caramelized Nuts ((using pecans))
• 3 cups butternut squash (peeled and chopped into 1/2"-3/4” cubes)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp EACH cinnamon, salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Dash of cayenne
• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon sugar (more or less to taste)
• 1 tablespoon poppyseeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp EACH garlic powder, salt, pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Pomegranate Vinaigrette ---
2. 2Combine all of the Pomegranate Vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Either whisk or shake vigorously until combined. Store in the fridge until ready to serve (up to 5 days). Shake/whisk before serving.
3. 3--- Caramelized Pecans ---
4. 4Prepare according to directions. Chop nuts after they are cooled. You can make the nuts days in advance and store them in an airtight container.
5. 5--- Butternut Squash ---
6. 6Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
7. 7Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add butternut squash followed by olive oil, maple, cinnamon, salt, pepper, cayenne and toss until evenly coated. Lay in a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
8. 8--- Assemble ---
9. 9When ready to serve, toss all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. If serving right away and you don't expect leftovers then you can drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss to combine. If you expect leftovers, serve dressing on the side.