Meatless Monday: Roasted squash and cashew salad
Roast the squash ahead of time to whip up a 5-minute delicious and healthy salad topped with a yogurt lime dressing.
This recipe is inexpensive, fast, and most importantly, delicious. Toss mixed greens with roasted squash and cashews, scallions, a red chili, and cilantro.
Beyond The Peel
I have been accused of cooking with expensive ingredients. And that’s not completely wrong. Sometimes I do. I love food and some of the foods I love aren’t cheap.
That being said, it is good to have some balance, and this recipe provides an affordable, healthy option. I bought a 2-lb. squash from a local farm for $2. From that one squash I was able to make this recipe and the cumin spiced squash with white beans (with a few other ingredients of course).
Not only was this inexpensive to make, it was delicious and fast. Sure roasting squash takes time, but that part can be done the night before while you’re reading or doing whatever else you like or have to do. Once that part is done, this comes together in 5 minutes flat! Beat that, Mickey D’s!
Roasted squash and cashew salad
Serves 2
4 cups mixed greens (we used young kale, mustard greens, small beet greens, and red lettuce)
2 cups squash, roasted and cubed [editor's note: try acorn or butternut squash]
2 scallions or green onions, cut on a diagonal
1 red chili, thinly sliced
1 handful cilantro
1/4 cup roasted cashews
Place 2 cups of mixed greens in two bowls. Top each with 1 cup of roasted squash, half the scallions, half the chiles, cilantro, and cashews. Drizzle with the yogurt lime dressing. Voila, done and delicious!
Yogurt lime dressing
1/3 cup plain full fat yogurt (use coconut cream as a vegan substitution)
1 tablespoon honey, raw is best (Vegans can substitute 2 tablespoons agave syrup)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 teaspoon lime zest
salt and pepper
Place the yogurt, honey, lime juice, ginger, lime zest in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To roast the squash, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Peel the squash using a sharp knife or peeler. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and cube into 1-inch squares. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and bake until tender. Approximately 45 minutes.