This healthy fall superfood salad is full of roasted butternut squash, pecans, pomegranate, and a creamy orange‑cinnamon vinaigrette—an ideal autumn meal.
There’s something about being served a meal that makes it taste so much better than when I make it myself.
Whether it’s at a cozy café, my mom’s kitchen, or at Alchemy, I love being handed a plate. Even after making everything on Alchemy’s menu at home, food still feels more magical when someone else prepares it.
Salads are a great example—I rarely make them at home because other people often do them better. But this time I made one that I’m proud of.
I made a really delicious salad—entirely on my own. I plated it on a new dish, ate it in peace, and smiled. More than once.
If you’ve followed this blog for even a short time, you’ll know I’m a big fan of hemp seeds. Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts have been a staple for years. Hemp Hearts are raw shelled hemp seeds with a mild, slightly nutty flavor similar to sunflower seeds or pine nuts.
They’re among the highest‑protein seeds and I love them for their omega‑3 content. Per serving, Hemp Hearts provide about 10 grams of easy‑to‑digest protein and roughly 10 grams of omega‑3 fatty acids. Compared with flax and chia, they offer a great balance of protein and healthy fats with fewer carbohydrates.
Hemp Hearts blend seamlessly into many dishes because their flavor is gentle. I add them to smoothies, sprinkle them on yogurt, and especially like using them in salad dressings—the fats make dressings extra creamy and satisfying.
Autumn means squash in my kitchen, and squash calls for cinnamon. Add baby kale, pomegranate seeds, and toasted pecans, and you’ve got a comforting, seasonal salad that stores well.
Baby kale is milder than mature kale but still nutritious, making it perfect for tossed salads that hold up through the week. This salad can be dressed and stored in a single container for easy lunches without worrying about a separate dressing cup that might leak.
Seriously—you should make this.
Fall Superfood Salad with Butternut Squash and Orange Cinnamon Dressing
- Author: Alexis Joseph
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Packed with the best fall produce, this superfood salad with orange‑cinnamon vinaigrette is a light, flavorful lunch or side.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- ½ butternut squash, cubed
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 5 oz package baby kale
- 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ bunch green onions, chopped (or ½ small red onion, sliced)
- 3 tbsp Hemp Hearts
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Hemp Hearts
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spread the cubed squash on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with melted coconut oil, sprinkle with cinnamon and sea salt, and toss to coat. Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
- While the squash roasts, combine the baby kale, pomegranate seeds, chopped pecans, green onions, and 3 tablespoons Hemp Hearts in a large bowl.
- Blend the dressing: combine orange juice, olive oil, 1 tablespoon Hemp Hearts, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Add the roasted squash to the salad bowl, drizzle with the orange‑cinnamon dressing, and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm or chilled.
This post was sponsored by Manitoba Harvest. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this content possible.