Ingredients
Salad
2 cups chopped spinach
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 (1 ½ pound) butternut squash peeled and diced
1/3 cup sliced almonds
3 tbsp cup dried cranberries
3 tsp olive oil
Dash of salt
Lemon dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic pressed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
Dash of ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Butternut Squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place butternut squash on a sheet pan, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over squash and a dash of salt. Roast squash for 15- 20 minutes, turning once until tender. Add cranberries to pan for last 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Cooking the quinoa: Rinse quinoa and combine with 2 cups of water. Add to a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat until quinoa has absorbed all water. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Lemon dressing: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Toasting almonds: Add ¼ tsp of olive oil to skillet until simmering. Add almonds and dash of salt stirring frequently. Cook until golden, remove from heat and set aside.
Tossing the salad: In a large bowl combine chopped spinach, cooled quinoa, butternut squash. Toss together then add Lemon dressing mixture. Continue to toss until well combined then serve!