The weather is cooling down, the sun is setting earlier, and people are in the festive mood despite the social distancing measures still in order (yes, I'm dating this recipe)!Some people seem to think clean, healthy eating ends or stalls during the colder seasons, that we should stuff ourselves with bread and creamy soup until the sunshine returns. Wrong!

Autumn and winter allow making a variety of salads using whatever's in season. In this case, I took advantage of butternut squash, one of my favourite gourds of the seasons. I paired it with sage simmered in butter until a goldish brown colour formed.

I gave the salad an additional dose of vitamins A and C with the apple, pear and blood orange slices which are great for boosting the immune system. Antioxidants from the pomegranate seeds along with a crunch, plus the pecans, and then a soft, creamy texture and choice of healthy fats from the avocado and feta.

If you have time, I'd recommend roasting or caramelizing the pecans! Pistachios would make a great substitute as well.

Ingredients

2 cups butternut squash, chopped

1/2 Hass avocado, sliced

3 cups spinach

1/2 blood orange, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 Autumn Gala apple, thinly sliced

1/2 red Anjou pear, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1/4 cup sweet potato nectar (D'Vash or any other natural sweetener like date syrup)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons dried sage

1 fresh sage sprig

2-3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon steak seasoning

Red wine vinegrette (Dress It Up)

Instructions

In a large bowl, season the butternut with all the spices and 1 tablespoon of the dried sage, the sweet potato nectar, and the olive oil. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400F for about 25 minutes or until the butternut has softened. Stir occasionally to preventing burning and ensure even cooking.

In a small pan, melt the butter with the remaining dried sage and the fresh sage sprig. Simmer on low heat for about 5-10 minutes until fragrant, and a goldish brown colour forms, set aside. 

Once the butternut has baked, toss in a bowl with the brown butter sage. 

Assemble your salad. You can toss everything together in a large bowl with the dressing, or, lay the ingredients out then drizzle the vinaigrette and toss with a salad spoon when it's time to serve.

Spread the spinach in a serving plate. Top with the seasoned and cooked butternut, apple, pear, blood orange, and avocado. Sprinkle the salad with the feta cheese, pecans, and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately!

Tip: Use lemon juice to prevent the avocado, pear and apple from browning as you prepare the salad.