November is one of my favorite months – the cooler weather, cozy fall vibes, pumpkin decor, and of course, Thanksgiving!
I’ve taken after my dad with declaring Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday to celebrate – no dealing with gifts, just getting together with loved ones and enjoying a meal.
The inspiration for this dish is pretty simple. It’s a hearty vegetarian salad with a light refreshing dressing, perfect for balancing with your classic Thanksgiving dishes. Eat it as a main course or side dish, hot or room temperature, and you could make it a day early and it’ll still taste good. It also is a salad that features cooked and roasted vegetables, which makes it easy on the digestion when the weather is cold.
Pumpkins and winter squash varieties are everywhere this time of year, and for good reason. They are good sources of beta carotene, fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C and E, iron and potassium. In Chinese medicine, pumpkin and squash are sweet and neutral to warming in temperature, and strengthen the Spleen and Stomach to improve digestion.
INGREDIENTS
3 medium to large sized delicata squash
Olive oil, for roasting squash
Salt and pepper
2 bunches curly or lacinato kale, chopped
1 large shallot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup wild rice
½ cup water or vegetable broth
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup pecans
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
Dressing
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Juice from ½-1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut delicata squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Slice squash so it’s in half moon shapes. Arrange on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until cooked through and crispy on the edges. Remove from oven and let cool.
For the rice, heat water or broth and rice in medium sized pot until boiling, then reduce heat to simmer with lid mostly covering the pot for 25-30 minutes or until rice is cooked through.
For the kale, heat a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat and add a little olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Add garlic and shallot and cook for 1 minute, then add kale – you might have to add it in 2-3 batches, but as the kale cooks down it will all fit in the pan. Transfer to a large serving bowl when kale is cooked down but still bright green and not soggy.
To assemble the salad, add squash and rice to the serving bowl along with the kale. The salad should be mostly kale and squash and less rice. Sprinkle on the cranberries, pecans and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle dressing on top and serve.
SUBSTITUTIONS / ALTERATIONS
-Make this recipe entirely vegan by swapping the honey for dates or agave.
-You can cook the rice in a rice cooker or Instant Pot. You can also add more rice to the recipe and make it more like Thanksgiving fried rice.
-Use any winter squash variety you like – butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, the choice is yours.
References
Bensky, D., Clavey, S., Stoger, E., & Gamble, A. (2004). Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd Edition. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press, Inc.
Pitchford, Paul. (2002). Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, 3rd Edition. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Wang, Y., Sheir, W., & Ono, M. (2010). Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen: Recipes from the East for Health, Healing, and Long Life. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.