The Thanksgiving Holiday has come to an end along with an entire week of hosting family from Texas, Wisconsin, and a childhood friend from Brazil. Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday of the year and I relish the opportunity to share such a special time with friends and family. My children also enjoy the full house of guests. We shared wonderful food, wine, and laughter this past week.

Six years had past since the last time I saw my childhood friend.  Spending time with her and catching up is always a treat, and this past week was no different. It was wonderful to realize that our friendship has remained special to both of us despite the distance and time apart. It truly felt as though we had just spent time together the other day.

With all of the food that was prepared and enjoyed the entire week, the dish my friend loved the most was the butternut squash salad. I served it during our Thanksgiving Feast and even the “meat & potato” in-laws enjoyed the side! I love all things “Fall” and “squash”, so it is no surprise the salad was a favorite one of mine as well. The good news is you don’t need to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy this beautiful and delicious salad. It is filling with plenty of nutrients that it can be prepared for a quick lunch or as a stand alone entree for dinner. This salad does takes a little planning, but it is definitely worth the little extra effort!

As always I take especial care in the creation of my recipes, so you are sure to enjoy a delicious and nutritious salad! For those watching their weight, 100 g of butternut squash contains about 45 calories. Butternut squash is also very rich in vitamin A, an essential vitamin that aids in skin repair and eyesight, and B-complex group of vitamin. Spinach brings in the calcium, the walnut provides the healthy fats, and cranberries provide the antioxidants. This beautiful combination of colors ensures that you are receiving a variety of phytonutrients from nature!

Let’s learn how to prepare this beautiful salad!

Ingredients:

1 lb of cubed butternut squash (roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, 1 tbs of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt, pepper, and cinnamon)

4 cups of spinach

1/4 cup of walnuts

1/4 cup of dried cranberries

Dressing:

2 Tbs of apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs of maple syrup

2 tsp of Dijon mustard

1 Tbs of orange juice

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the dressing, mix all the ingredients except the olive oil. Slowly add the olive oil as you whisk all the other ingredients together. This helps to emulsify the mixture.

To assemble the salad begin by roasting the cubed butternut squash in 375 F for about 35-45 minutes. Place the spinach in a large bowl, top it with the squash, walnuts, cranberries, and toss it right before serving it with the salad dressing. Add enough dressing to taste, I usually have left over dressing that I save for future use (make sure to use the dressing within 2 days).

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 Receita de Salada de abobora

Ingredientes:

1 kg de abóbora em cubos (assado com um fio de azeite , 1 colher de sopa de xarope de bordo, e uma pitada de sal , pimenta e canela)

4 xícaras de espinafre

1/4 xícara de nozes

1/4 xícara de cerejas secas ou passas

Molho:

2 colheres de sopa de vinagre de maçã

1 colher de sopa de xarope de bordo

2 colheres de chá de mostarda Dijon

1 colher de sopa de suco de laranja

1/2 xícara de azeite de oliva extra virgem

Para preparar o molho , misture todos os ingredientes , exceto o azeite de oliva. Lentamente adicione o azeite de oliva como você bata todos os outros ingredientes. Isto ajuda a emulsionar a mistura .

Para montar a salada, começe por assar a abóbora em cubos em forno 200 C por cerca de 35-45 minutos. Coloque o espinafre em uma tigela grande, cubra com a abobora, nozes ,  e passas. Adicione molho suficiente a gosto , eu costumo deixar molho que eu salvo para uso futuro (certifique-se de usar o restante do molho dentro de 2 dias ) .