I realize I haven’t posted anything remotely resembling a salad lately.
Truth is, baking is my favorite so that’s usually what I do. However, just like there are times when a girl needs a burger, there are also times when she needs a salad. A good salad. One that is substantial and tasty, with a variety of colors of flavors.
Because let’s face it, salads can be pretty boring.
But not this one! This salad is quintessentially fall with sweet honeycrisp apple slices, roasted butternut squash and crunchy roasted hazelnuts. It’s perfect alongside a Thanksgiving turkey or, simply, as a packed lunch for work.
So, you’ll need squash. Never enough squash!
I love butternut squash in this salad because the sweetness of it works really nicely with the apples. However, you could also try acorn or kabocha. Just not spaghetti…not this time.
Peel, slice and quarter the slices and then bake at 400 for about twenty five minutes. You still want the squash slices a little firm so they hold up in the salad.
Now, make the dressing.
This is just a simple combination of a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon and a half of balsamic vinegar, a tiny pinch of sea salt, a squeeze of honey and a teaspoon of dijon mustard.
I love simple dressings like this!
Arrange a plate o’ lettuce. Here we are using some lovely romaine.
Arrange a sliced honeycrisp apple on top…
Then arrange the roasted squash pieces and finally, sprinkle roasted chopped hazelnuts….my favorite!
Drizzle the salad with dressing and you’re game.
Harvest Salad for One
1 honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted butternut squash slices, quartered
2 T chopped roasted hazenuts
romaine or spring mix
for the dressing:
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
Make the dressing first. Blend all ingredients by hand or in a blender. Set aside while you assemble salad.
Layer lettuce with butternut squash slices, apple slices and hazelnuts. Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!
{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
I love fruit, nuts, and even squash in my salads. The less green veggies… the better for me!
Jenna – this is completely off topic, but did you hear that The Help is being made into a movie?!
Awesome!!!
I have never though of putting squash on a salad, I think I have one in the cupboard, might give this a try today!
I’ve been eating a salad very similar to this nearly every lunch for the past two weeks…I’m addicted! Honeycrisp apples are in full swing right now here iin WI, and squash….well…I harvested about 20 butternuts off my little garden this fall! One supr yummy addition …..is……..GOAT CHEESE!
arugula, romaine, honey crisp, roasted butternut + gopat cheese=bliss!!
Love,
Cathy B.
*goat not gopat!
that salad w/ goat cheese sounds delicious…definitely making that combination this weekend. thanks for the idea!
Oh my God – Goat Cheese is soooo good!
Hazelnuts are the best in salads! Or any nut for that matter. I made a homemade balsamic dressing for my Project Food Blog dinner party but something was missing…now I know it’s dijon mustard!
Looks delicious Jenna! I actually had pretty much the same thing for dinner last night, except my nuts were walnuts. Mine certainly didn’t look as delicious as yours though!
Simply delicious!
Don’t worry, I’m confident you could never post another salad mix and I would read until I die.
I always forget about apples in my salad, though. Thanks for reminding me!
yay. Just got another butternut squash. Glad I have a new recipe to use it in!
I agree – salads can be boring unless you have lots of yummy ingredients on them like this one has!
top any salad with hazelnuts and i’m in…drooling!
OMG I have got to make that salad soon!!!
love the colors. i had an amazing salad with roasted pumpkin last night that i can’t stop thinking about
My kind of salad! Scrumptious!
I love sunflower seeds or almonds in salads. And yet for some reason I can not have anything even slightly sweet. I like my salads savory!
This looks so yummy! I wish I could be eating this for lunch right now!
Awesome idea!
This looks like a great combo! I need more hazelnuts after making them into nut butter though!
what a great combo of veggies and fruit not to mention the fall colors
I agree…sometimes only a salad will do.
Looks incredible! This by no means is a boring salad
I love fun salads like these! Need to try the hazelnut part – sounds great
I need more salads in my life..
This has got to be the best looking salad I’ve seen in a while!! I must try that. I love making dressings at home. So simple, so fresh, so yummy. I will never buy salad dressings again!
THANK YOU for showing me a simple but flavorful salad! I was just talking about how I am terrible at making my own salads, but this one looks amazing! And let’s not even get into the last time I tried to make my own dressing….
great idea to add bnut squash!
my salads are always so blah and ho hum
Clearly since I have all of those ingredients in my house already…I need to make that for dinner.
Mmm…I love, love, love a good autumn-inspired salad! Usually I take the old standard route of feta cheese, dried cranberries, possibly roasted chicken, and roasted beets. It’s my favorite.
That being said, I think your salad might very well become a new favorite as well.
Yes, I usually show only stuff I bake too (not like yours of course!! LOL) – but I DO eat greens and the good stuff too!
Squash rocks in anything…with spaghetti sauce poured over it preferably…and cheese…
I bet this would be tasty with cider vinegar or fig balsamic.
I’m not a huge salad fan unless it has fruit, nuts, and some sort of flavorful cheese in addition to the veggies. There also has to be a variety of textures. This looks perfect!
I love putting apples in salads! It adds a nice crunch and sweetness. This salad looks amazing
Yum, that looks great. That’s my favorite kind of dressing, though I usually use two tablespoons of vinegar because I’m addicted to it. Also good–that dressing but with red wine vinegar.
Salad looks great. I love honey crisps in my salads. As for easy salad dressing… my new obsession has been fig balsamic, basil olive oil with a pinch of sea salt.. simple and so tasty.
I really appreciate the tone and style of your teaching. Simple or complicated, your instructions make each recipe sound breezy and yummy. A celebration of food, for certain!
thanks, Karen!
I’m putting squash in everything I eat right now. I’ve been too chilly to want a salad, though that one looks delicious!
Oh, I’m excited about trying this one. I like the dressing idea, too. I really have trouble with liking homemade dressings, but this one looks good with the honey and mustard. I’ll let you know!
I always forget how awesome apples are in a salad. Then I add them and think “This is so fantastic! Why don’t I do it more often?”
I love apples and squash in salads, but I’ve never tried them together. This looks awesome!
I just bought some honeycrisps and a butternut last night! It’s funny, I fear my roommates may be getting quite tired of all the squash I have been cooking…every night… It’s fall! We only get them once a year!
I am loving the new spirit of your blog. As much as I enjoyed the healthy living styled blog you had before, I love the recipes you are sharing. A true celebration of REAL food. Thank you,
This salad sounds lovely!!
Growing up, my mom always made “traditional” butternut squash. Baked, scooped out, and served all mushy and stringy. I never knew you could slice and roast it like this but now I can’t wait to try it! Thanks Jenna
This was awesome. More salad recipes please!
How do I roast the butternut squash into slices? Do I roast it whole and then slice it after it’s cooked? Do I need to peel it first and slice it before roasting? How long in the oven and at what temperature?
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