Adapted from Oh She Glows - This cozy salad is a great way to use up any veggies lurking in the back of your fridge— Toss them on the pan to roast with a big batch of squash so there's plenty of leftovers for the next few days. The extra veggies and dressing make for a really quick reheat-and-serve lunch. 

INGREDIENTS:

For the Butternut Squash:

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil of choice
• Fine sea salt

For the Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette:

• 1 small (3 g) garlic clove
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) grapeseed oil (or other light-tasting oil)
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Dijon mustard
• Fine sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure maple syrup, or to taste

For the Salad: 

• 1 (5-ounce/142 g) package baby romaine or mixed greens
• 1 large (270 g) avocado, pitted and sliced
• Heaping 1/2 cup (65 g) chopped walnuts*
• 2 tablespoons (18 g) hemp hearts
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel, halve, and seed the squash. Slice the squash into 1/2-inch wedges. Transfer to the baking sheet and toss with the tablespoon of oil. Spread the squash into an even layer and season generously with salt. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping once halfway through until the squash is fork tender and lightly browned.​
2.  Meanwhile, prepare the Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette: Finely grate or mince the garlic and place it into a small glass jar. Add the vinegar, oil, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, pepper, and maple syrup. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until combined. Taste the dressing and adjust the oil, salt, and maple syrup, if desired. You can also make the dressing in a blender or food processor, if you’d prefer.
3.  When the squash is nearly finished roasting, begin building your salad bowls: Portion 2 to 3 handfuls of the baby romaine/mixed greens into four large shallow bowls. Drizzle a tablespoon of dressing over each bowl and toss until the greens are fully coated.
4.  Divide the sliced avocado, walnuts, and hemp hearts into four portions, and evenly distribute on top of each bowl.
5.  When the squash is finished roasting, transfer several wedges directly from the pan to the top of each bowl. Finish each salad with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, as well as a final drizzle of dressing. Serve immediately.

TIP:

* Feel free to use toasted walnuts, if you prefer, but rest assured that raw work wonderfully too!
You can absolutely make this salad for a single portion too! To build just one salad, I suggest portioning each ingredient as follows: approximately 2 handfuls of greens, 1/4 of a large avocado (sliced), 3/4 cup warm roasted squash, 1 to 2 tablespoons vinaigrette (to taste), 2 heaping tablespoons of chopped walnuts, and 1/2 tablespoon of hemp hearts.
Any leftover squash can be easily reheated over the next few days. Here is how I like to warm up leftover roasted squash: Coat a large skillet with oil and add your leftover cooked squash with a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until warmed through.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Serving Size 1 of 4 bowls | Calories 510 calories | Total Fat 40 grams
Saturated Fat 4.5 grams | Sodium 390 milligrams | Total Carbohydrates 44 grams
Fiber 12 grams | Sugar 10 grams | Protein 8 grams


Check out Oh She Glows for more recipes
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Adapted from Julie's Lifestyle - Looking for healthy lunch inspiration? This Vegan Keto Bento Box with almond seaweed noodles, heirloom tomato salad & guacamole makes a great lunch on the go! It’s packed with plant-based protein, healthy fats & essential minerals - perfect to boost your energy levels, speed up your fat-burning metabolism and beat sugar cravings. That's a triple win :)

INGREDIENTS:

Almond Seaweed Noodles (4 serving sizes):

• 1 cup arame seaweed, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
• ½ teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil (or extra virgin/toasted sesame oil)
• 1 tablespoon tamari, or more to taste (gluten free soy sauce – soy free version: use coconut aminos)
• 1 large handful almond flakes, raw or toasted

Heirloom Tomato Salad

• 1 large handful tomatoes (I used cherry & red zebra)
• ½ small cucumber
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
• 1 small handful sprouts (I used alfalfa + daikon)
• Oregano or basil, to taste (I used the flowers too)

Protein Power Guacamole

• 1 small ripe avocado, pitted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
• Himalayan crystal salt + black pepper, to taste
• ½ tablespoon MCT oil
• 1 teaspoon chives, finely chopped (optional – I used the flowers too)
• ½ teaspoon spirulina + seaweed flakes each (optional – for an extra mineral boost)
• Mixed seeds (optional)

Fruit & Veggies

• ¼ fresh coconut, cut into chunks
• 1 medium carrot, cut into sticks

INSTRUCTIONS:

Almond Seaweed Noodles (4 serving sizes)

1. Cook the arame seaweed until tender for about 15 minutes. Pour away the cooking water.
2. Lightly heat some extra virgin coconut oil and stir in the seaweed.
3. Take off the heat, add the tamari, stir well and top with the almond flakes.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

1. Chop the fresh tomatoes into chunks, the cucumber into ribbons, and the sundried tomatoes into strips.
2. Add sprouts (a great source of protein & minerals!) + oregano and/or basil for extra flavor.

​Protein Power Guacamole

1. Mash the avocado. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
2. Add MCT oil (or extra virgin olive oil if you don’t have MCT at home) and finely chopped chives. I like to add spirulina and seaweed flakes too – they’re both rich in protein and essential minerals such as zinc and iodine.
3. If you wish, top the guacamole with seasoned seeds: I used a mix of sprouted pumpkin, sunflower, sesame & buckwheat that I seasoned with Italian herbs & sea salt.

Sides

1. On the side, you can serve carrot sticks to have with the guacamole and fresh coconut for dessert.

JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:

1. This Protein Power Guacamole will stay fresh for 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can store the Almond Seaweed Noodles for at least 4 days in the fridge.
2. Not a fan of seaweed? Replace them with any noodles of your choice: zucchini, carrot, buckwheat, brown rice…

Check out Julie's Lifestyle for more recipes
​
​
Get a personalized nutrition plan to gain clarity and improve your health

A TARGET Nutrition Plan takes a personalized, evidence-based approach to help you make better choices.  Have our nutritionists assess what you are currently doing and provide you with a personalized plan (including meal plans).  Everything you need to transform your diet.

Learn More​​