Roasted Acorn Squash with Spinach Quinoa Salad

Happy Monday Folks!

Husband and I took another trip to the Farmer's Market the other weekend and got a ton of goodies! I'm so excited to use all our fresh, locally grown produce. 

This salad was the perfect way to start! It was super filling and tasted so good that we were able to have it for dinner and didn't need anything else. 

It's filled with lots of good for you foods like quinoa, acorn squash and spinach. 

You coat your acorn squash in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and then roast them in the oven for about 35 minutes. Then mix together your salad ingredients and top it off with a creamy honey Dijon dressing and sharp aged white cheddar. 

It's the perfect easy weeknight meal and makes enough to take for lunch the next day! 

Roasted Acorn Squash with Spinach Quinoa Salad

Adapted from the Sprouted Kitchen

For the Squash:
1 acorn squash
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
few pinches of salt

For the Salad:
2 c Spinach
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 c red grapes, halved
2 tbsp red onion, sliced
1 tbsp Sunflower Seeds, shelled
Sliced Aged White Cheddar

For the Dressing:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Spread olive oil and balsamic on each half and poke fork holes into the flesh of the squash. Season with salt. Roast in the oven for about 35 minutes. 

Make the dressing. Blend all ingredients by hand or in a blender. Set aside while you assemble salad.

In a bowl mix together all of your salad ingredients and pour dressing over the salad mixture. 

Scoop salad mixture into each half of the acorn squash and serve.