Harvest Grain Salad
It’s Thanksgiving week! This Harvest Grain Salad is a healthy and hearty addition to your Thanksgiving menu. The flavors go perfectly together and taste like Fall. Roasted butternut squash and brussel sprouts, kale, quinoa, pepitas, dried cranberries and feta tossed in an apple cider maple vinaigrette.
This grain salad is savory, sweet and has a little crunch to it. Basically everything you could want in a Fall salad - including multiple nourishing food groups.
Ingredient Spotlights
Quinoa: Fluffy quinoa is one of my favorite grain additions to salads. It adds nutrients, protein, fiber and texture. Be sure to rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any bitterness.
Kale: This leafy green is my favorite this time of year. Make sure to massage the kale to improve the texture and reduce any bitterness. Simply remove the leafy greens from the stem, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil per bunch of kale, a pinch of salt and massage the leaves for 2-3 minutes.
Butternut squash: this culinary vegetable (technically a fruit due to the seeds) adds a sweet and nutty flavor, similar to that of sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Peeling winter squash can be intimidating, but it’s not as difficult as one might think! In this recipe, you simply use a peeler to peel the outer layer off the butternut squash. Work downwards from the stem and then go back and peel off any areas you missed. Then cut the squash in half, scoop out seeds, discard the seeds and then dice the squash into cubes.
Brussel sprouts: The star of the show in my opinion. I love roasted brussel sprouts! The roasting caramelizes the brussels and brings out a sweet, nutty flavor that is Fall perfection. Read below for the recipe!
It’s All About Balance…
I’m all about balance and encourage you to savor and enjoy all the foods on your Thanksgiving table, but make sure you include some veggies in there. This salad is a great way to load up on those flavorful and nutrient-dense veggies. I hope you enjoy this salad as much as my family does! Wishing you all a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. I’m thankful that you’re here and can’t wait to share with you all that’s to come to The Nurtured Nutritionist in 2025.
Harvest Grain Salad
Serves 6-8
Grain Salad
2 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, cubed
1 bag brussel sprouts, ends trimmed, halved
1 bunch kale, stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup feta cheese
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup pepitas
Salt
Black pepper
Apple Cider Maple Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon turmeric
Salt
Black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the squash and brussel sprouts. Preheat oven to 400℉ degrees. Wash produce. Cut ends off butternut squash. Turn upright and peel skin off in long downward motion. Go back as needed to remove any skin you might have missed. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Discard seeds. Cut peeled butternut squash into 1” cubes. Set aside. Wash brussel sprouts. Trim and cut in half. Set aside.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cubed butternut squash on one sheet. Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place trimmed and halved brussel sprouts on another baking sheet. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until roasted.
While veggies are roasting, prepare quinoa. Rinse 1 cup quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. In a medium sized pot, bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup rinsed quinoa to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and let the quinoa cook for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. When quinoa is done cooking, fluff with a fork.
While quinoa and veggies are cooking, wash kale. Tear leafy kale off stem. Place in a bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt over kale. Massage until tender. Massaging the kale helps make it less tough.
Make apple cider maple vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients into a jar and shake. Set aside.
When veggies are done roasting and quinoa is done cooking, it’s time to assemble the grain salad! I used a large wooden salad bowl. I assembled in sections, but you can also just toss everything together. Assemble the cooked quinoa, massaged kale, roasted butternut squash, roasted brussel sprouts, feta cheese, cranberries, and pepitas. Toss grain salad in vinaigrette. Enjoy!
Note this Harvest Grain Salad can be enjoyed both warm or cold, whichever you prefer. My family enjoyed this as a warm grain salad and it was so good that I’ll be making it again for the rest of the family on Thanksgiving Day!
Dietary: Gluten-Free, you can make this recipe Dairy-Free by omitting the feta cheese.
