diet – Foodaware

Roasted Butternut Squash & Pomegranate with Garlicky Honey-Dijon Dressing

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients, Squash

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups ½-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (1½ pounds; from a 2¼-pound whole squash, if that’s where you’re starting from)

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste

Ingredients, Dressing

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 clove garlic, grated or smashed into a paste

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients, Salad

5 cups baby arugula

½ cup pomegranate seeds* (see Tip)

¼ cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup crumbled goat cheese (4 ounces)

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and pour 2 tablespoons of the oil on the lined sheet. Place the oiled sheet in the oven (yep, nothing on it) and heat until very hot but not smoking, about 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss the squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the salt, pepper, and cayenne until coated. Using an oven mitt, remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and quickly pour the squash onto the sheet (you should hear some sizzling); take a few extra seconds to make sure the flat sides of the squash are hitting that hot oiled pan. Roast until the undersides are golden, about 15 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven, shake the pan (or flip the squash with tongs if you’re down with OCD, yeah you know me), return to the oven, and roast until the new underside is golden brown,10 to 15 minutes. Let cool to room temp or just warm (so it doesn’t murder the greens when you drop them on).

Make the dressing. In a screw-top jar, shake the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil until it’s creamy. (If it separates, just shake it again.)

Makes the salad. Arrange the arugula on a platter. Top with the roasted squash, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Scatter the onion and goat cheese on top. Drizzle with the dressing to taste and sprinkle with pepper.

*Or finely diced green apple if you can’t find pom seeds.