Last two weeks I was busy moving this blog to Squarespace mainly because I like how streamlined their user experience is. It took me a while but after a couple days of work I got all my content transferred and now, you are looking at the brand new mintandsumac.com! I am excited to continue blogging and I plan on making it a regular effort in 2020. Maybe this will be my first “new year resolution”.

But before I start talking about next year, there are still holidays to celebrate and lots of eating to be done this year. I find most holiday food to be heavy (but I guess that is part of the point!) so I like to lighten it up by serving a seasonal salad (and if I am not the host I offer bringing salad). For me, salads are all about flavor and texture. I generally use very simple dressings like lemon juice, olive oil and vinegar so it is important to me to layer various flavors for taste satisfaction and layer textures for what I’d call mouthfeel satisfaction. This fall salad mixes tangy, sweet and bitter flavors and layers crunchy, creamy and juicy textures. It is very simple to put together if you are short on time and also adds a pop of color to your dinner table.

Yields: 4 servings Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 kabocha squash (or acorn or delicata)

4 cups of arugula

3 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or to taste)

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or to taste)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Clean the seeds of the kabocha squash and cut in large, 1 1/2 inch chunks. I prefer to leave them unpeeled so they keep their shape.

3. Place the kabocha squash on a baking sheet and toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.

4. Roast for about 20-25 mins until the squash is soft.

5. In a bowl or a serving platter toss the arugula, roasted squash, feta cheese and pomegranate seeds.

6. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar before serving.

Enjoy!