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Raw Butternut Squash and Kale Salad – Gluten-free + Vegan
Today I am sharing a recipe as part of both our Very Tasty Thanksgiving series as well as my ongoing vegetarian Thanksgiving series I am doing with Free People this month. This colorful raw squash and kale salad is so simple to make, full of delicious seasonal flavors and doesn’t require any cooking or baking, which is a huge bonus on Thanksgiving, when the oven and stove are in high demand. Enjoy.
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I shared this recipe previously when I made it last year for Thanksgiving. It was such a hit, so easy to make, I couldn’t let it get passed by this year. Anything raw and this healthy should be celebrated on a day of indulgences.
This vibrant and bright salad is crunchy, sweet and so satisfying. It would be a welcome side dish at any Thanksgiving feast and it is a wonderfully unique option for everyone, especially for those who are gluten-free, vegan and/or vegetarian. Plus, I personally love the idea of any Thanksgiving sides that aren’t heavy and carb loaded and more importantly, that don’t require the use of the oven that is always far too crowded on Thanksgiving. Head over to the Free People blog BLDG 25 now to get both recipes. -
Raw Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
I was so excited to be participating in A Book of Yum’s Gluten-free Vegetarian Thanksgiving Event, that I of course couldn’t decide on just one recipe, so I made two! I wanted to re-imagine a classic side dish like stuffing, but I also really wanted to bring something completely new and unique to the table (pun intended). I came across a recipe in Edible Buffalo’s Fall 2011 issue a few weeks ago that I cut out and set aside, since it really intrigued me. It was a raw butternut squash salad – I had never thought about eating squash raw, but I honestly couldn’t wait to try it. In thinking about the recipe and really wanting there to be a rainbow of beautiful fall colors, I decided to change it up add some fresh local kale and dried cranberries instead of golden raisins. I also had some a fresh organic navel orange that I had zested earlier in the day to make another batch of my Chai concentrate and I thought the juice from that would be the perfect complement to all of the flavors going on in this salad.
This beautiful salad is crunchy, sweet and bright. It would be a welcome side dish at any Thanksgiving feast and it is a wonderfully unique option everyone, especially for those who are gluten-free, vegan and/or vegetarian. Plus, I personally love the idea of any Thanksgiving sides that aren’t heavy and carb loaded and more importantly, that don’t require the use of the oven that is always far too crowded on Thanksgiving.
Raw Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
Serves 4-61 butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded and grated by hand or with a food processor
1 cup kale, washed and stems removed, cut into very thin strips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to tasteCombine all ingredients, toss and adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate, covered, for an hour before serving.
