Winter Greens Salad with Maple Vanilla Vinaigrette

This is my absolute new favorite salad! I found a whole bunch of kale and baby arugula from the farmers market and was craving this after my run yesterday. The arugula gives it a nice peppery spicy bite, while the squash and cherries add a slight sweetness.  Make sure when making the vinaigrette you use the best maple syrup you can find. It makes such a difference. I’m sure it would be awesome if you wanted to add some grilled chicken or shrimp to it as well!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Kale, stems removed and chopped
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 1 cup butternut squash, small diced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup Bartlett pears, sliced
• 1/4 cup Blue cheese, I used Ama blue, tangy and not to sharp, crumbled
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp. fresh sage, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Small dice the butter nut squash and spread evenly on baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat everything evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender and just turning golden.

In a large bowl toss all the ingredients together.

Maple Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. Grade A maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and black pepper to season

Directions

In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, Dijon mustard vanilla. Then slowly add the oil whisking at the same time until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad so everything is lightly covered in dressing. Serve immediately.