Mid-West Winter Salad

~serves 5-7

*This recipe can easily be made into individual pre-portioned meals for the week!

- 1 bag of spinach

- 5 large leaves of kale, rinsed and and stems removed, roughly chopped

- ½ of a roasted butternut squash (about 3 cups chopped)

- 1 cup cooked quinoa (cook in chicken or vegetable broth)

- 1 cup of chopped walnuts

- 5 oz container of gorgonzola cheese

- 1 cup of rinsed pomegranate seeds

*Dressing: ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil, pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 3 TBSP lemon juice. Shake or mix together completely.

*This recipe can easily be made into individual pre-portioned meals for the week!

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the roasted butternut squash first by cutting the squash in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds and strings insides. Wrap a piece of tinfoil on the open half of the squash, place tin foil side up on a medium jellyroll pan with ½ inch of water (I just roast both halves at the same time and use the leftovers throughout the week). Cook the squash for 40 minutes or until you can pierce the squash with a fork (be careful not to get the squash too done as it will be mushy to eat on a salad).

    While the squash is cooking prepare the remainder of the salad. Cook the quinoa by rinsing it first in cold water and then cooking in a 2:1 ratio of chicken or vegetable broth (for more flavor). I prepare ½ cup of uncooked quinoa in 1 cup of chicken broth. Mix the spinach and kale in a large serving bowl (or mixing bowl if not serving for multiple people). Then toss the remaining ingredients in with the salad mixture. Once the squash has cooled, chop it into ½ inch cubes and toss into the salad. Drizzle the salad with the dressing right before eating so that the kale and spinach don’t wilt. Enjoy!