I love the hearty flavors of fall. Squash especially. If you’ve never tried kabocha squash, here’s a great recipe to try it in. I called it a fall harvest salad, as almost everything that goes in it reminds me of fall, even down to the touch of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in the dressing. I love that kabocha is much lower in carbs than other types of squash, but its very creamy and dense. Its just a bit darker in color than its more vibrant sister, the butternut squash. Not only is kabocha squash more nutrient dense than other types of squash, its also a lot lower in calories. A cup of kabocha squash is 40 calories, compared to butternut squash which is 60 calories a cup. As for carbs per cup, kabocha has 7 grams, compared to 16 grams with butternut squash! Gotta like those stats!
The flavors in this room temperature salad are sweet and tangy. Its a great salad to have leftovers of, since kale can hold up so well for days. It won’t wilt away like other types of greens. I’ve really gotten into eating pomegranates this year, and the girls love them. They sure pack a big punch for being such a little seed. The burst of juice in every bite makes them so addictive!
A salad like this I thought needed feta cheese for the saltiness factor, and well, because I just love feta cheese. But goat cheese would also work as well. You’d just need to put it on at the end as it wouldn’t survive the tossing. I’ll definitely be making this salad again and again. It just goes so well together, and its the perfect salad for fall and winter.
- 4 cups kabocha squash, cubed
- 1 Tbsp oil
- ¼ tsp salt & pepper
- 3 kale leaves
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup light feta cheese
- ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 T oil (I used avocado oil)
- 2 packets stevia (I used NuNaturals)
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon & cloves
- Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place your cubed squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with the 1 Tbsp of oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes until fork tender.
- Meanwhile, assemble the rest of the salad. Wash and chop the kale leaves. Add into a large bowl with the pomegranate seeds, feta cheese and walnuts.
- Make the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Once the squash is out of the oven, allow to cook for a few minutes and add to the salad bowl. Drizzle on the dressing, and toss. Serve at room temperature.
- Store leftovers in the fridge.