This healthy, fall-inspired Autumn Harvest Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette, is the perfect way to enjoy all of the many amazing flavors of the season in one flavor-packed healthy salad. It is light enough to not leave you heavy and weighed down, but also hearty enough to be a meal on it’s own. This makes 2 large meal sized servings or 4 side salad-sized servings. I like to make this salad and dress the servings individually so I can enjoy the leftovers later. This was the perfect lunch during a long day of yoga teacher training, a few weeks back.

Lately, this is one of my most favorite ways to enjoy raw kale and I find even those not super crazy about the superfood green, absolutely love it in salad like this. The key is to massage the kale to get rid of the toughness and the bitterness. Yup, I said “massage”! No, you don’t have to whisper sweet nothings to it or buy it dinner first, just a good ‘ol fashioned no-strings-attached massage.

Softened, raw kale, fresh crisp, sweet and tart apple slices, the tender and slightly caramelized roasted butternut squash with the spicy bite of the raw shallots. The Maple Dijon Vinaigrette is full of so much flavor and compliments each of the delicious autumn ingredients so well.

This salad is quite versatile, you can add or take away seasonal ingredients as you’d like, try pumpkin or another seasonal squash instead of the butternut, thinly sliced fennel, red onions or radishes would be great or maybe add some pomegranate seeds, grapes or dried cranberries. It would also be great topped with some crumbled feta or goat cheese on top or maybe your favorite toasted nuts or seeds.

However you serve it, this Autumn Harvest Salad will certainly bring the flavors of fall to your plate and your taste buds.

[print_this]Autumn Harvest Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette {gluten-free and vegan}
serves 2-4

• 2 cups 1-inch cubed butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 large bunch of kale, (about 4 cups) stems removed and roughly torn or chopped
• 1 medium apple, core removed and thinly sliced (I like honeycrisp apples)
• 1 small shallot, peeled and sliced very thin
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper

 

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
• punch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 425ºF

Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and slightly browned, about 20 minutes or so. Let cool slightly.

While the butternut squash is roasting, prepare your Maple Dijon Vinaigrette by whisking all of the ingredients together until well combined or to make it extra creamy and thick blend it for a few seconds in your high speed blender. Set aside.

Add the kale to a bowl and sprinkle a small amount of sea salt over the top. With clean hands massage the kale leaves, scrunch a big handful together together, let it go, grab more, massage until the entire bowl of greens is dark green, fragrant and tender. This step takes less than a minute and it really cuts down on the toughness and bitterness of the kale.

Arrange the kale on a serving platter or bowl, top with the apple slices, thinly sliced shallot and the roasted butternut squash. Drizzle the dressing overtop, season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, lightly toss and serve.

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