BUTTERNUT SQUASH, QUINOA, AND CRANBERRY SALAD

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I've been feeling fairly unhealthy lately, and going on a hike this weekend galvanized me to eat better this week. I had gathered some salad recipes I wanted to try, and I decided to go for broke and combine all of them together. :)


BUTTERNUT SQUASH, QUINOA, AND CRANBERRY SALAD, makes about 4 servings
Adapted from: The Kitchn, Mountain Mama Cooks, and Gluten Free Goddess

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup dry quinoa, will make 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 1 15oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Spinach
• Goat cheese, crumbled
• Dried cranberries
• Sliced almonds
• Dressing of choice (I really like Stonewall Kitchen's Balsamic Fig Dressing)

FOR THE QUINOA:

1. Rinse uncooked quinoa well to remove the bitter outer coating, then drain.
2. Combine quinoa and water in a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat and cook covered for 15 minutes, then let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Fluff and add to the salad.

Update: Some excellent instructions on cooking quinoa in a pressure cooker from Vegan Coach.

FOR THE SQUASH & CHICKPEAS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then toss butternut squash, garbanzo beans, olive oil, salt, and pepper on the sheet.
3. Roast in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until the largest chunks of squash are soft and the garbanzo beans are crispy.

FOR THE SALAD: Layer spinach, quinoa, squash, and chickpeas into salad bowls, then top with goat cheese, cranberries, almonds, and dressing. Enjoy!

xo Diana