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Roasted butternut squash and kale salad with chili-spiced chickpeas

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

2 Servings, 530 Calories/Serving

25 – 35 Minutes

Roasted, pickled, massaged, spiced . . . you name it. We threw an array of easy-prep vegetables into this vegan fall main-course salad.

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Ingredients

  • 1 apple (such as Fuji)
  • 1 parsnip
  • 2 cups chopped peeled butternut squash
  • 1 bunch kale (about ½ pound)
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup currants
  • ¼ pound cremini mushrooms
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • Chickpea spice blend (ground cumin - chili powder)
  • 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds

Make It Leaner

Stretch this hearty salad into 3 portions to slash 170 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 9 grams of sugar per serving. Alternatively, use just half the currants and half the pumpkin seeds to shave off 40 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 4 grams of sugar per serving. Nutritionist tip: save the leftover seeds and currants as a topping for the next morning’s oatmeal.

Ingredient IQ

Chile, spelled with an “e,” is used for a hot pepper (and a country). Chile powder is made by grinding dried whole chile peppers. Chili powder, on the other hand, is a blend of chile powder and other spices and seasonings. Chili, spelled with an “i,” is a stew.

Nutrition per serving

Instructions

1

Roast the apple and vegetables

Heat the oven to 425°F.
  • Cut the apple into quarters lengthwise and cut away the core; cut each quarter lengthwise into 1-inch-thick slices, then crosswise into 1-inch cubes.
  • Scrub or peel the parsnip and trim off the ends; cut the parsnip in half lengthwise, then crosswise on the diagonal into ½-inch-thick slices.
On a sheet pan, drizzle the apple, parsnip, and butternut squash with 1 to 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer and roast, stirring halfway through, until the apple and vegetables are tender and starting to brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
While the apple and vegetables roast, prepare the kale and mushrooms.

2

Prep the kale

  • Strip the kale leaves from the stems; coarsely chop the leaves.
  • Measure out 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; set aside the remaining 3 tablespoons for the mushrooms.
In a large bowl, combine the kale and currants with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 2 to 3 teaspoons oil. Season with salt and pepper and gently massage the leaves. Let stand while you prepare the rest of the meal.

3

Quick-pickle the mushrooms

  • Cut the mushrooms into quarters.
In a small bowl, combine the mushrooms with the remaining 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon water and season generously with salt. Let stand, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the rest of the meal.

4

Prep and roast the chickpeas

  • Rinse the chickpeas.
On another sheet pan, drizzle the chickpeas with 2 to 3 teaspoons oil; sprinkle with the chickpea spice blend, season with salt, and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer and roast, stirring halfway through, until the chickpeas are crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.

5

Assemble the kale salad

  • Drain the mushrooms from the pickling liquid.
To the bowl with the kale, add the roasted apple and vegetables, pickled mushrooms, and chickpeas and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6

Serve

Transfer the kale salad to individual plates, garnish with the pumpkin seeds, and serve.

Calories: 530, Protein: 15g (30% DV), Fiber: 14g (56% DV), Total Fat: 23g (35% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.5g, Saturated Fat: 3g (15% DV), Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV), Sodium: 120mg (5% DV), Carbohydrates: 76g (25% DV), Total Sugars: 27g, Added Sugars: 0g (0% DV).

Sodium does not include pantry salt; for reference, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt added to the recipe averages 240mg per serving, or 10% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.