Today, I’ve brought you the best of fall’s produce all bundled up into one hearty and filling salad bursting with sweetness, tanginess, and texture. And to send you into cozy fall heaven, it’s tossed in a smooth and creamy maple dressing.
Boring iceberg lettuce salad this is not! Let’s talk about texture because this salad has a lot going on in that department. We’ve got:
- Kale, tenderized from the dressing
- Nutty quinoa
- Soft, roasted acorn squash
- Crisp chopped apples
- Crunchy pistachios
The pops of sweetness and crunch perfectly complement the tender, roasted squash. Speaking of the squash, notice in the photos that I kept the skin on. For the longest time I thought that it needed to be peeled off. But great news! You can totally keep it on. In the roasting process, the skin magically tenderizes so much so that when eaten, you’d never know it was there if it wasn’t for the dark color.
This Fall Harvest Quinoa and Kale Salad keeps so well in the fridge thanks to the mighty kale, giving you an entire week of dinner sides or quick lunches to throw together. The apples won’t spoil either due to the acidity from the dressing.
My husband declared this one of the best salads he’s ever had so I think we can call this a win. Stock up at your next Farmer’s Market trip so you and your family can also enjoy this sweet, tangy, and textured salad!
- 1 small acorn squash, cut into ½ inch slices
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 6 cups chopped kale
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
- 1 large apple, diced
- ¼ cup pistachios
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- dash of salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Arrange the squash on a large lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and maple syrup over the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a blender or Nutribullet. Or simply add them to a bowl. Blend until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Without a blender, simply whisk the ingredients together until smooth.
- When the squash is done roasting, let it cool for about 10 minutes.
- To a large salad bowl, add the kale, quinoa, apple, pistachios, and squash slices. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com
Calories: 153 Fat: 4.6g Carb: 25.8g Fiber: 3.2g Protein: 4.4g Sugar 6.8g Sodium: 189mg
Hi! I'm Krista, a self-proclaimed vegetable lover who likes to put a creative spin on healthy cooking. Here you'll find a variety of lightened up recipes using fresh and wholesome ingredients! 
Looks amazingly delicious recipe. Thank You for sharing <3
Absolutely! Thanks Food to Fitness!