Spiced Squash, Lentil, & Goat Cheese Salad

Sorry for the lack of posts lately – two Saturdays ago I travelled up to Northern Ontario to visit family for Thanksgiving and stayed just over a week.   I had fully intended to go about my regular routine while I was up there, getting lots of work done, staying caught up with my Feedly reader, and writing a couple blog posts, but before I knew it I was boarding a plane back home and I’d done almost none of the above.  I really have no idea where the time went, though I do know I enjoyed it!

As usual, I was spoiled on my trip and almost never had to make any food for myself.  The one dish I made the whole week was this squash and lentil salad, which we enjoyed with some butternut squash soup as a nice lighter meal after our big Thanksgiving feast. I offered to make it because I’d been eating it for my lunches the whole week before I left and I loved it so much that it was still on my mind!

Somehow, whenever I’m under pressure to make something for guests, it never turns out as well as when I make it the exact same way for myself at home (or maybe I'm extra critical when I know it's being judged), but everyone still enjoyed it!

This salad is bursting with fall flavour and is hearty and filling thanks to the lentils and squash, while still feeling light and healthful.  It takes a bit of time to roast the squash and cook the lentils, but other than that everything comes together pretty easily.  I didn’t change much from the original Bon Appetit recipe except to add pumpkin seeds and cranberries, which add some crunch, sweetness, and even more of a festive feel to the salad.  

I can't believe that now that I'm back, it's already time (or past time) to start thinking of Halloween recipes!  It's crazy how fast October is flying by - hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am!

Spiced Squash, Lentil, & Goat Cheese Salad

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Makes about 4 large (main) or 8 small (side) servings

Ingredients:

1 large (around 2 pound) butternut squash

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or paprika plus a dash of cayenne if you don’t have smoked paprika)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup green or brown lentils

4 cups baby arugula

3/4 to 1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 tablesoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Peel butternut squash, remove seeds, and cut into about 1” cubes.  I find it easier to cut squash after microwaving it first – just prick it all over with a fork or small knife and microwave on high for about a minute.  Toss cubes of squash with 2 tablespoons oil, the cumin, paprika, and salt.  Spread squash in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.  Toss, return to oven, and roast for another 10-15 minutes.  Let cool.

Meanwhile, bring around 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add lentils, cover, reduce heat to simmer, and let cook for about 30 minutes, until tender but firm.  Drain and rinse lentils under cold water.

Combine lentils, squash, arugula, about half the goat cheese, pepitas, cranberries, balsamic vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Divide into servings and top each with remaining goat cheese.

Southwest Sweet Potato Dip

I’m always looking for new recipe sources and was happy to recently discover that Foodland Ontario has a lot of great recipes on their site. I’ve already made a couple that have turned out wonderfully - this southwest sweet potato dip being one of them!

I’ve made sweet potato hummus before but haven’t tried a regular sweet potato dip, let alone one with “southwest” flavours in it. I’ll admit I was a little skeptical about how this dip would turn out, but after my very first little taste I was hooked!

I couldn’t believe how flavourful it was, and I had to keep tasting and tasting in order to even figure out how to describe the flavour. I’m still not sure how because there’s so much going on in this dip – there’s sweetness from the potatoes, acidity from the lime, smokiness from the paprika, and spice from the cumin and cayenne. Just trust me that it all works really well together and tastes amazing!

It’s also really easy to make this dip because the sweet potatoes are cooked using the microwave, which saves a lot of time. If you want them to have a deeper flavour though, you could definitely roast them in the oven instead, it will just take a little longer before you get to enjoy the dip!

This makes a great dip for crackers, pitas, or veggies, but it also works really well as a spread for a sandwich or bagel - I liked to eat it on a toasted thin whole wheat bagel as a light afternoon snack.

I also think this would be a great addition to a Super Bowl spread, especially for those who want some healthier options available!

Southwest Sweet Potato Dip

Adapted from Foodland Ontario

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (depending on your preference – I used 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Pierce sweet potatoes in several places with a fork. Place on a paper towel and microwave on High for 5 to 9 minutes, or until tender. Cover with a towel and let stand about 5 minutes.

Once slightly cooled, peel back skin of sweet potato and scoop the flesh into the bowl of a food processor. Add all other ingredients to the food processor and process until smooth. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days and serve at room temperature with chips, crackers, veggies, or as a spread on bread.