Roasted Butternut Squash with Quinoa, and Crumbled Feta Salad
This one sounds a little weird but I promise its surprisingly tasty! I usually cook a whole package of quinoa in one setting and save the leftovers for my husband who loves to use it in his eggs the next morning. I know, that sounds odd, too but yet again - tastes great. Anyhoo, another lovely tip when cooking quinoa is adding a tablespoon of butter to the pot as it's cooking. It gives it a bit more richness. And let's face it - butter makes everything better;)
I used an Italian Blend for my lettuce mix because the crunch and bitterness of radicchio compliments the soft and sweetness of the squash. But if you want to swap in for a salad mix you like better go right ahead and tell me how you liked it! Remember to only dress your serving and not the whole salad if you want to save it for later. This salad is perfect for leftovers, it keeps really well!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- half of butternut squash, cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt
- French vinaigrette dressing
- 2 large handfuls of Italian Salad blend: romaine, endive and radicchio
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted *optional
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Toss the squash in a large bowl with olive oil and salt.
- Put squash on the baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes (flip over halfway) or until soft. Remove and let it cool slightly before mixing with the other ingredients
- Meanwhile over medium heat melt butter in a medium pan and add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 15-20 minutes or until onion is a golden brown.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, and salad mix. Add your personal desired amount of dressing to each individual serving. Then top with feta and pine nuts. Enjoy!
So yummy! Perfect salad that keeps really well!