Roasted Veggie Salad

These roasted vegetables are a delicious side for dinner or they make the best warm addition to a crunchy cold salad. A super simple side to make, packed full of flavor for that harvest comfort food. I like to turn it into a salad by adding these roasted veggies atop a fresh bowl of greens. Get creative with your toppings and customize it in a way that nourishes your soul and leave your mouth watering and tummy full! As always, you can find substitutions for any of the veggies, toppings, or seasonings. Have fun cooking, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced

• 1 can of chickpeas(garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

• ¼ cup oil( olive oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil)

• ¼ vidalia/yellow onion, chopped

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp onion powder

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder(*optional - provides inflammation support)

Roasted Veggie Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350F

• Prepare butternut squash, chickpeas, and onion. Butternut squash preps best when you peel it first, then wrap it in a wet paper towel and microwave for 2-4 minutes; let cool. Then cut in half, scoop out guts and seeds and dice into small pieces. Smaller the pieces, the quicker it cooks. 

• Toss all chopped veggies together and spread out in one layer on a baking sheet. 

• Drizzle the oil and sprinkle the seasonings over the veggies. Toss and mix again. 

• Bake for 20-30 minutes or until butternut squash is fork soft

• Enjoy as a side with dinner, a yummy snack, or serve over the salad ingredients below for the perfect combination of comfort food and refreshing greens!

Dress it up!

However you want to dress it, adding in toppings makes your salad crunchy, sweet, or salty in whatever way you like!

Salad Ingredients:

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 2 TBSP butter

• ½ cup walnuts

• 1 cup arugula, washed

• ½ cup spinach, washed and trimmed(remove stems)

• 1 TBSP honey goat cheese

Dressing:

• 4 TBSP honey

• 3 TBSP lemon juice

• 2 TBSP olive oil

Salad preparation:

• Start by prepping your candied walnuts. Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan; add walnuts and let the mixture bubble and boil, but not burn. A medium heat is best, not too hot!

• Keep stirring and keep an eye on the heat level. Once the walnuts are coated in the sugar/butter mixture; set aside in a bowl to cool. Nuts will cluster together and sugar will harden on nuts. 

• Place arugula and spinach in a salad bowl, sprinkle crunchy candied walnuts on top, add the roasted veggies(warmed if you prefer - I like them warm!) and top with crumbled goat cheese

• Optional: add cranberries, beets, or pomegranate seeds for a grounding root chakra support!

• Dressing - mix ingredients together in a dish/bowl

• Pour dressing over salad and enjoy! Sweet, savory, cold, and warm - best of both worlds!

What did you think? Take a picture + tag me @allie_cushley on Instagram or @YogiAllie so I can see your beautiful creation!