Orange Cranberry Kale + Rainbow Chard Salad Topped with Roasted Butternut Squash + Chickpeas

I found this adorable handmade cross stitch linen set for one last year, and decided to create a winter-base and flavored salad, that combines a mix of warm and cooler colors and a mix of bitter and sweet flavors. 

​Orange, cranberries and squash go together like peas and carrots, and I even presented this salad live on zoom several times during the fall of 2020 to inspire people how to cook whole, and dairy-free foods. 

This recipe provides a way to still consume salads, but in a way that brings hearth, health and warmth. Eating raw salads in the winter can be challenging, but in this way, it allows us to consume a mix of raw and cooked foods without feeling deprived during the cooler months when the body craves denser and warmer foods. 

There is a reason and a season for everything, and hope you enjoy this recipe! 

Discover many vintage linens & items available for purchase on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.

Orange Cranberry Kale + Rainbow Chard Salad Topped with Roasted Butternut Squash + Chickpea
​Serves 3-4 
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
6 cups kale and Swiss or rainbow chard, sliced (half and half, or 4 cup kale, 2 cup chard)
3 cups butternut squash, diced mixed with 2 tbsp olive oil + salt and pepper 
1 cup dried cranberries 
1-1.5 cups orange juice
1 can chickpeas, washed and drained, 
1-2 tbsp olive oil 
1/4 tsp thyme 
pinch garlic powder 
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Dressing
3 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
salt + pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Prep the butternut squash and mix it with 2 tbsp of olive oil and some salt + pepper. Spread evenly on a baking tray and place in the oven for 15 minutes. 

In the same bowl, mix the chickpeas with 1-2 tbsp olive oil, thyme and a pinch of garlic powder. 

In a bread pan, or small baking dish pour the cranberries and orange juice together. Once the squash bakes for 15 minutes, flip the squash with a spatula, and either add the chickpeas to the same pan, or use an additional baking pan and place in the oven for another 20 minutes. Also, place the cranberries in the oven at the same time. Thus, cook the squash, cranberries and chickpeas for 20 minutes (35 minutes total). 

While baking, prep the kale and chard and mix together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients. 

Once complete, either add all of the ingredients on top and mix with the dressing, or separate the kale in serving bowls and then add each ingredient to your preferred ratio and mix with the dressing. Enjoy! 

Let's Connect! Explore my other kale / chard salad recipes below! 

Kale Beet + Blood Orange Salad

Kale Farro Salad w/ Parsley Tarragon Dressing

Protein-Packed Kale-Chard Salad w/ Lemon Vinaigrette

Yum

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