Winter Vegetable Salad With Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts And Beets Recipes

WINTER LAYERED SALAD WITH BEETS AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts out on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, and roughly chop.
• Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the barley, and simmer until plumped and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Strain and rinse under cold water. (The barley can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.)
• Use a sharp knife to remove peel and pith from the grapefruits. Cut the grapefruits into pieces, and remove the seeds.
• Whisk the vinegar, shallots, mustard, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly, until blended into a vinaigrette.
• Using a 3-quart straight-sided tall glass bowl for 1 large salad or four 16-ounce wide-mouth glass jars for 4 individual salads, make a first layer with half the mesclun, then add the following in separate layers: the grapefruit, the Brussels sprouts, the barley, the beets, and the remaining mesclun. Sprinkle the walnuts and pomegranate seeds on top.
• If making 1 salad, just before serving, transfer it to a large bowl, toss with the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. If making 4 salads, add vinaigrette to each jar, season with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and shake to coat.

ROASTED BEET, BUTTERNUT SQUASH & APPLE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange two oven racks evenly spaced.
• Place the beets on a sheet pan, toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and spread out in one layer. On a second sheet pan, toss the butternut squash and apples with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and spread out in one layer. Roast both pans of vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing occasionally, until everything is tender and lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, for the vinaigrette, heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a small saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Over low heat, whisk in the balsamic vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, honey, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm.
• Place the roasted vegetables and fruit in a large bowl. Add the arugula and vinaigrette and toss well. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve warm.

WINTER VEGETABLE SALAD WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, AND BEETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and remove yellow leaves. Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
• In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine.
• Place Brussels sprouts onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 375 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.
• Preheat oven to 375 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt, and toss to combine. Note: For more tips and details on how to peel, cut, and roast whole butternut squash, check out this article: How to Roast Butternut Squash.
• Spread butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking until softened.
• Note: You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.
• Add 2 beets to a medium-size saucepan filled with water. Bring to boil. Boil the beets on medium heat, half-covered (allowing some heat to escape), for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Using a large spoon or a ladle, carefully remove beets from hot water. Let them cool. When completely cooled, peel the beets and then dice them into small cubes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread pecans in a single layer.
• Toast the pecans for about 5 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.
• Note: Pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterward.
• Combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar + 1/4 cup of honey or brown sugar in a medium pan and cook it down, regularly stirring. The mixture should reduce by about half. Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon but should not be overly thick.
• In a large bowl, toss together roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, diced cooked beets, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries.
• Drizzle with the balsamic glaze.

ROASTED BEET AND WINTER SQUASH SALAD WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens off of the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stems attached. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or ovenproof casserole. Add about 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the beets are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. If not using right away, refrigerate in a covered bowl
• Line another roasting pan with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Peel the squash and cut in 1/2-inch thick slices. Toss with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and salt to taste and place on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and tender. You can do this at the same time that you roast the beets, but watch carefully if you need to put the baking sheet on a lower shelf. Remove from the heat and allow to cool
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Add salt to the water, and blanch the greens for 1 minute or until tender. Transfer the greens to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out the water. Chop coarsely
• Mix together the vinegars, garlic, salt, pepper, the remaining olive oil and the walnut oil. When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the ends off, slip off their skins, cut in half, then slice into half-moon shapes. Toss with half the salad dressing. In a separate bowl, toss the roasted squash with the remaining dressing
• Place the greens on a platter, leaving a space in the middle. Arrange the beets and squash in alternating rows in the middle of the platter. Sprinkle on the fresh herbs and the walnuts. If desired, sprinkle on crumbled feta. Serve