Healthy Thanksgiving Salad

First of all don't think that I am not going to have the usual Thanksgiving dinner prepared for my in-laws. I will also be preparing side dishes along with our bourbon smoked turkey. I usually have small appetizers too.

To entertain my guests this year, we have a few games to share -"Eat It" is a snacks and sweets trivia game. We will also turn on a "christmas story" movie.

Ingredients
Six Servings

1 (2-pound) butternut squash

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
6 sprigs fresh sage leaves
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup baby spinach, tightly packed
1 cup arugula, tightly packed
1 cup rocket leaves, tightly packed
1 cup frisee lettuce
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, tightly packed, chopped
2/3 cup Beluga lentils, pre-cooked
1/4 cup pomegranate paste
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1 teabag Earl Grey Tea
1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 slices stale white bread
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons herbs (tarragon, thyme, oregano, dill), finely chopped
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons dill Preparation

Roasting the butternut squash:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Peel and dice the butternut squash into 1-1/2-inch cubes. In a bowl, toss the diced butternut squash in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, kosher salt, pepper, butter, nutmeg and 1 sprig of sage.

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Place the butternut squash pieces without crowding them. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until slightly browned and softened. Let cool completely. Remove and discard the sage leaves.

For the cranberries:

Make a cup of Earl Grey tea. Soak the cranberries in the hot cup of tea and let them sit for at least 20 minutes, then strain and reserve the cranberries. Discard the liquid.

For the sage-flavored oil:

Gather about 1/3 cup of loosely packed fresh sage leaves.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. As soon as the oil is hot, lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant. Turn off the heat. Add the sage and lemon zest. Stir well. Cool the oil completely. Strain out the herbs through a double-layered cheese cloth and pour the sage-flavored oil into the bowl.

Set aside about 1/3 cup of sage-flavored oil for the vinaigrette. Use the rest for the croutons.

For the croutons:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a blender or a mini-blender if you have one, mix 1-1/2 tablespoons of herbs in the sage-flavored oil. Give it a few pulses.

Cut the bread into about 1-inch to 1-1/2-inch cubes. Spread the bread cubes onto a non-stick baking sheet. Drizzle the oil on the bread cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cool the croutons for at least 15 minutes.

For the pomegranate vinaigrette:

In a bowl, mix together the pomegranate paste, sugar, remaining maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, reserved sage-flavored olive oil, pickled garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Assembly time:

Mix all the greens and croutons together. Add the maple-roasted butternut squash, cranberries and the beluga lentils. Drizzle with pomegranate vinaigrette. Toss well. Sprinkle more dill and serve immediately.

Tips

You can find pomegranate paste in an Iranian/Pakistani store or online. It needs to be refrigerated after opening. It adds a nice tart flavor to the sauce. You can also make it yourself if you have fresh pomegranates.

I bought precooked beluga lentils from Trader Joe's but you can substitute any other kind of lentils or beans. It's a great addition of protein to a salad. You can use any kind of greens for this salad. Romain lettuce or even spinach leaves would work fine as well.

Waste not, want not. Croutons are a perfect way to recycle stale bread.