Ode to the Pumpkin: Roasted Squash Salad with Bacon and Pumpkin Seeds

 Photo courtesy of Rachel

Made this salad for a family dinner and it was a hit!  The buttery squash, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and smoky bacon make this a fall salad you'll want to enjoy often.  Can you guess where I found it?  Cooking Light, of course. 

Some things I learned in hind sight that could have made it easier...and all of them have to do with good-ole-always-crowded-Costco! In addition to their lovely spring salad mix and precooked bacon, when I was there today I noticed that they have pre-cut butternut squash.  HELLO--this was the hardest part!!  For me anyway.  Years ago, I sliced my had trying to cut an acorn squash and ever since I just can't cope.  Don't even get me started on pumpkin carving.  Hence, I made Dave do that part.    

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (**I couldn't find this so I used red wine vinegar)
1 teaspoon  Dijon mustard
1 bacon slice
1 medium shallot, minced
10 cup gourmet salad greens (about 10 ounces)
3 tablespoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted

WHAT TO DO

Preheat oven to 400°.
Arrange squash in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Coat squash with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly browned, stirring after 15 minutes. Remove from heat; keep warm. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, vinegar, and mustard. Cook bacon in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add shallot to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute. Add shallot and bacon to vinegar mixture, stirring with a whisk.

Place salad greens in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over greens; toss gently to coat. Arrange about 1 1/3 cups salad on each of 6 plates. Top each serving with 2/3 cup squash and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkinseed kernels.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 130 (25% from fat)

Fat: 3.6g (sat 0.9g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.2g)

Protein: 4.8g

Carbohydrate: 23.8g

Fiber: 5.5g

Cholesterol: 2mg

Iron: 3.2mg

Sodium: 275mg

Calcium: 134mg

SOURCE: Joanne Weir, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005