Cranberry, Butternut Squash, Kale and Walnut Salad

It is fall somewhere, right? #texas

I have a favorite side dish that I swear by because it packs a lot of flavors and while healthy it’s pretty comforting and hearty. It makes an excellent side for chicken or turkey or sometimes when I don’t want to eat meat I’ll toss this salad with some cooked quinoa to make it into a meal.

The flavors are without a doubt fall inspired, and it’s a great dish to add to your Thanksgiving spread all while being relatively fresh and healthy.

So enjoy my friends! I hope you are all cooking your way through your fall season no matter what it might actually look like!

Ingredients:

4 cups of chopped kale, 1/2 cup of chopped butternut squash, 1/3 of a cup of chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup of dried cranberries, three cloves of garlic, one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Prep:

Add the butter to a pot large enough to fit all the kale and melt over medium-low heat. Toss in the walnuts and give them a slight toast. The butter will lightly turn brown, and that is when you add the squash.

Add the chopped butternut squash and garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the squash is cooked. It will be a bit soft and resemble a baked sweet potato.

Add the cranberries and cook for an additional minute.

Add the kale and drizzle the olive oil on top. Toss together and add a lid to your pot. Cook for roughly 2-3 minutes until the kale is cooked and soft.

Remove and serve as a side dish with your favorite roasted meats, cooked grains or even potatoes!

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.