Roasted Veggie Harvest Salad

Roasted Veggie Harvest Salad.jpg

Most days lately, I am really over the weeknight cooking. I think a lot of it is the fact that I am at the end of this pregnancy, and I am tired. Cooking a healthy meal every damn night requires effort and planning. And that requires energy. And most of my energy these days is spent on prepping for baby and getting things done for my business. So by the end of the day, sometimes all I really want is popcorn or icecream. Or chick fil a. That is always good. hah. Although I have still indulged in all of the above, I still feel better when most of my meals are green and on the healthier side. This is why I love salads like this one. They truly require no “recipe” per say but it is always nice to have something as a guide to go by and then you can just make it your own.

I love roasting ANY veggie and throwing it in a salad. As for protein, there are the crispy chickpeas in this salad but obvioUsly that is versatile. You can buy your salad dressing OR make your own which really is easy. I actually don’t think you can mess up a vinaigrette. All you need is oil, a vinegar, a little mustard or honey (or both) and some spices. DONE.

Roasted Veggie Harvest Salad

Ingredients:

  • Butternut Squash (I used 1 package of the diced squash from Trader Joe’s)

  • Shredded Brussel Sprouts (used 1 package from TJ’s but you could also use 1/2 pound and just halve them to roast

  • Italian Seasoning or Borsari for roasting veggies

  • EVOO or EVOO Spray

  • Romaine Lettuce (used 1 bag)

  • Butter Lettuce (used 1 bag)

  • Feta (I don’t measure- just sprinkle it on per your preference)

  • Handful of Cranberries

  • A handful of salad crunchies like crispy onions

Crispy Chickpeas

  • 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry with a clean dish cloth

  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika

  • sprinkle of sea salt

  • 1-2 tbsp EVOO or EVOO spray

Basic Vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup EVOO

  • 3 TBSP Sherry Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard

  • salt & pepper to taste

  • pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions:

  • Heat oven to 425 and get out a parchment lined sheet pan for your veggies. Drizzle the squash & brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast the squash for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway. The shredded sprouts will only need 15-20. Keep an eye on them as every oven is different.

  • Meanwhile, prep your chickpeas and dressing.

    • Chickpeas: Pat dry in a clean dish towel and lay out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Coat with oil and seasonings. Bake for 20 minutes, checking on them half way through to toss or rotate.

    • For the dressing- Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl or shake up in a mason jar.

  • Once veggies and chickpeas are done roasting, let cool for a few minutes before mixing everything together with your lettuce. Add your lettuce, sliced red onion, feta, & cranberries to a large bowl. Mix in the veggies & chickpeas. Top with something crunchy like crispy onions and dress the salad!

*Obviously if you want to save the salad for the next day, only add dressing to your individual serving.

recipesAngelica Flanigan