I happened to get a couple of acorn squash recently and remembered my fabulous squash chips and decided they would make the perfect topping for a salad along with roasted acorn squash seeds, lentils, and a sprinkling of cheese.
There is nothing like using the entire vegetable and acorn squash seeds taste even better than pumpkin seeds, their oversized orange cousins. All you have to do is remove the seeds, clean and dry, toss with a drop of butter or margarine and salt and roast at 375 for about 10 minutes. Set aside. Roast thinly sliced acorn squash chips. Cook the lentils, my favorite are the French green lentils, and then layer your salad with a simple Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Top with a sprinkling of your favorite cheese, like goat or feta, and have a perfect fall salad. I’ll be rooting for you every step of the way!
Acorn Squash and Lentil Salad
Servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 acorn squash and acorn squash seeds
- 1 cup green lentils
- 2 bunches arugula
- 1 ounce cheese of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Salad:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Cut squash and remove seeds.
- Wash the seeds, strain and place on a baking pan with 1 teaspoon oil or butter and a little salt. Roast for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Bring up temperature of the oven to 400.
- Slice squash thin and mix with just enough oil to coat, then add a sprinkling of salt. Place on parchment paper on baking sheet, don’t overlap. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning pieces over half way through. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, bring 1 cup of lentils and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil then simmer for 20-25 minutes until soft, but not mushy. (I prefer the green French lentils for salads.) Drain and mix with some salt to taste and set aside to cool.
- Dressing:
- Mix all ingredients in a jar or whisk in bowl.
- When ready to serve, lay lettuce on plate, top with lentils, then the dressing then the squash chips and seeds and a sprinkling of cheese. Enjoy.
How do you cut the acorn squash thin? I have a hard time cutting it at all! I can just muster enuf to cut it in half and roast it for using in a soup. Any tips?
I find the cutting in half to be hard but after that a good sharp large knife will work to cut it thin.
I didn’t, just wash it, when cut thin and cooked it was fine to eat and looks prettier.
Do you peel the acorn squash?
Love incorporating different veggies into salads! Such a refreshing recipe with root vegetables, to balance out all the heavier ones that tend to come along with potatoes and the like being used!
This looks Delicious. I love acorn squash, And this salad is a great way to incorporate it.