Fall Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple Butter Vinaigrette

I brought several new dishes to Thanksgiving this year, including this fabulous salad.  I got the idea for this salad from Healthy Food For Living, and I’ve included my own modifications (and specific measurements) below.  My parents and I loved this salad!  It made a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving since it’s full of fall flavors-butternut squash, apples, cranberries!  It’s fresh and light, and makes a great companion to all of those other heavy Thanksgiving dishes.

Sorry I don’t have a better photo of this…I’m notoriously bad at forgetting to take pics of my Thanksgiving food!

Fall Salad with Butternut Squash and Apples

inspired by Healthy Food for Living

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• salt
• pepper
• 4-5 cups baby spinach
• 1 chopped apple (I used Pink Lady)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 1/3 cup toasted pecans
• Apple Butter Vinaigrette, recipe below

Toss butternut squash with olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes.  Allow squash to cool slightly, then toss in a large bowl with spinach, apple, cranberries, goat cheese, pecans and Apple Butter Vinaigrette.

Apple Butter Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons apple butter (This would also be delicious with pumpkin butter)
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk together all ingredients.