Healthy Friday

Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Orange Cider Dressing

A refreshing healthy salad made with nutty wild rice, butternut squash and fruits drizzled with orange cider dressing. Pair the salad with a roasted pork or chicken dinner. Some wines suggestions include: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Syrah and Pinot Noir.
Cook’s notes: Advance planning makes preparation easier by cooking wild rice, chopping fruits and celery ahead. The recipe serves four and is adapted from BHG.

Salad Ingredients:

• 5 cups cooked wild rice
• 2 cups butternut squash, small cubes
• 3 clementines peeled and segmented
• 1 cup each diced celery and red apple with skin on
• 1 pear, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• Leaf lettuce
• Optional 1 cup roasted salted pistachios or toasted pecans

Salad Directions:

• Cook wild rice until porous enough to soak up dressing, about 45 minutes. Drain, rinse and set rice aside. 
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl toss squash with 1 TB. olive oil or Orange Olive Oil. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle with cinnamon. Roast squash for 15 minutes or until softened and slightly caramelized. Stir once during cooking time. Remove from oven and cool. 
• While squash is roasting, in a bowl combine cooked wild rice, fruits and celery. Stir in cooled butternut squash. Place salad mixture on a lettuce leaf, drizzle with dressing.

Orange Cider Dressing Ingredients and Directions:

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 
• 2 TB. finely chopped shallots
• ¼ tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper
• Let sit 10 minutes in blender.
• Add in 1 TB. orange zest, 5 TB. orange juice, 2 TB. honey and 1 tsp. Dijon mustard. Blend and slowly add in ¼ cup olive oil or Blood Orange Olive Oil to mix. 
• Season to taste. Refrigerate a few hours.

One of the many healthy choices from the skinny mom site.  

www.pinterest.com/skinnymom/