Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Toasted Sesame Seeds

Day One

This is adapted from a recipe from Food 52. I was working with the food I had left from my CSA and what was left over in the fridge. I used agave instead of maple syrup because that is what I had in my cupboard, and I had some toasted sesame seeds from another dish I had made. The roasted butternut squash caramelizes to deliciousness. I was surprised to discover how easy it is to find Pomegranate seeds. They had them in my local Fairway! However, I could not find hazelnuts anywhere, so I toasted almonds, instead.

For the Salad:
1 Bunch of Kale – leaves removed, broken into small pieces, and stems discarded for compost (I put mine into a bag in the freezer to take to the compost collection place on Sundays)
1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped
1Tbl sesame seeds, toasted
3/4 cup, pomegranate seeds
handful of almonds – toasted.
1Tbl olive oil

For the Dressing:
1 Tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbls Lemon Juice
3 Tblsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Agave
1/4 tsp sea salt
Black Pepper to taste

Coat the squash in the 1Tbspn olive oil and roast in the oven, at 375 degrees Farenheit (190 Celsius), for 30-35 minutes, until golden and yummy. Remember to toss them about half way through the cooking time. At the same time, toast the almonds for about five minutes, until slightly darker. Check them frequently as they can suddenly burn on you!

Put all the dressing ingredients into a screw-top jar – that is how I make all my dressings. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously. I always imagine I am energizing the dressing when I do this!

Chop up the toasted almonds into chips (unless you prefer them whole. I like them in pieces).

Place the kale in a big bowl. Pour over about 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Doesn’t have to be exact; I just did it by eye. ‘Massage’ the dressing into the kale leaves with your hands. This softens the kale and makes it more edible. You’ll see the leaves shrink and wilt, a little. Add the pomegranate seeds and the almonds and more of the dressing, to taste.

Once the squash is cooked, add that. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Toss if you like. (UK friends – I mean the salad)