Recipe: Butternut Squash Wild Rice Salad

I find my cravings change with the seasons. And this recipe is essentially autumn in a bowl. It combines some of my favorite ingredients this time of year - butternut squash, wild rice, pomegranates, walnuts and arugula.

For most salads, I don't really measure ingredients. So I've done my best to estimate. If you end up with a lot more squash on your salad than you'd like - don't say I didn't warn ya! Fortunately, it keeps well and tastes great the next day.

Serves 4

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 cup wild rice, cooked according to package instructions
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons walnut or flax oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
arugula or salad greens, washed
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash, olive oil, agave nectar in a large baking pan. Cover and roast in oven for 15 min. Remove from oven, turning squash in pan. Return to oven for another 10-15 minutes until squash is browned and tender. Sprinkle salt and let cool.

Once squash is done, insert walnuts in a baking pan. Let toast in oven for about 5 minutes. Make sure they do not burn. Turn with spatula if necessary, remove when fragrant.

Whisk orange juice, walnut oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine greens, pomegranate seeds, walnuts in a bowl. Serve with room temperature or warm roasted butternut squash and cooked wild rice. Toss and coat with dressing.