Bitter greens with roasted butternut squash, goat cheese, and maple mustard vinaigrette

salad
easy
lunch
squash

In the words of my best friend, "$15 salads are my love language." And indeed, there is many a time when nothing hits quite like a delicious overpriced salad. But sometimes (okay, maybe often) you don't want to go stand in line next to all those people wearing head to toe Lululemon and pay that kind of money for a salad. You've got bills to pay, damnit! And during covid you definitely don't wan't to be doing any of that.

This recipe is the solution to all of your $15 salad dreams. It hits the crunch, tang, and savory-sweet you're looking for without breaking the bank or forcing you to leave the comfort of your own home.

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp whole grain mustard
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar (red win vinegar or balsamic would also work)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup, depending on how sweet you like it
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 6 cups bitter greens of your choice (arugla, kale, frisee, radicchio, endive, or a combo would all work well here)
  • 1 cup roasted, cubed butternut squash or squash of your choice
  • 1/2 granny smith apple, cored and sliced thinly
  • 1 cup protein of your choice, such as cooked chicken, tofu, or chickpeas
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and broken into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled (I used Trader Joe's cranberry goat cheese. If you can't find it and use plain goat cheese, I'd recommend adding 1/4 of cranberries to your salad.)

Instructions

For the dressing, in a small jar with an airtight lid, combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette using the minimum amount of maple syrup and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Shake vigorously to combine. Taste for sweetness and seasoning and adjust accordingly with additional maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Shake again to combine.

For the salad, in a large bowl combine greens, squash, apple, and protein of choice. Add desired amount of dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add in half of the nuts and goat cheese. Toss very gently just to mix. To serve, portion salad into two large bowls and top with remaining nuts and goat cheese.

Vinaigrette can be made in advance and will keep for up to a week in the fridge. For meal prepping, store ingredients separately and combine before eating.