Acorn Squash, Mint, & Apple Salad with Candied Almond ‘Brittle’ (Serve with Cranberry Vinaigrette)

This salad is sharp and sophisticated while using flavors of the season, and is certainly one of my favorites for entertaining in the fall and winter months. The almond ‘brittle’ in this salad is always a guest favorite, and an easy way to impress! (Just don’t tell them how easy it was to make!) If you want this salad to have more of a hearty winter feel, replace the arugula with fresh kale or spinach. The flavor combination of savory cinnamon dusted squash, fresh cool mint, sweet and toasty almond brittle, and crisp apples is sure to get you in the holiday spirit!  

If you’re in a hurry, just don’t have the energy, have arthritis, or don’t have the best knife skills; the process of peeling and cubing up acorn squash might sound more than daunting. In that case, you can always just quarter the squash, scoop out seeds, coat in olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped mint. Just as you would in the original recipe. Be sure to increase your time in the oven as there is less surface area for the heat to penetrate. Once it’s cooked and cooled down enough to touch, peel the outside off with clean hands or a spoon and dispose. Cut the cooked squash into strips, and then into cubes. You will get the same effect and flavors; it just won’t look quite as pretty or be as golden brown. 

Note: *The nutrition facts include almond ‘brittle’ and all elements of salad, but not cranberry vinaigrette. Find the dressing’s nutrition facts with the recipe. * 

Acorn Squash, Mint, & Apple Salad with Candied Almond ‘Brittle’

Serves 4
Prep: 20 min
Cooking: 35 min 
Total: 55  min
Beginner   

Ingredients: 

2 Acorn squash; halved, seeded, peeled & diced 

¼ Cup Olive oil 

2 Tbsp. mint, fresh and chopped

2 Gala apples, cubed with a squeeze of lemon 

4 Cups arugula 

½ Cup almonds unroasted; chopped 

¼ Cup honey

Cinnamon, dash

Salt, TT

Method Of Prep: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Gather and prep ingredients. To prepare the squash, peel the outside first. Then cut a small slice off the top and bottom, so that you can stand it on one end with stability. With the squash now standing on one of the ends, halve it, then scoop out and dispose of seeds. Lay cut side down, and cut into strips, then cut into squares for dice.
  3. Once squash is diced, place in a bowl along with olive oil, mint, dash of cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
  4. Mix to coat evenly. Grab a large sheet pan and spread the squash to one even layer.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes then stir on a sheet tray.
  6. Bake for another 10 minutes until tender and golden.
  7. While the squash is baking cube up the apples. Be sure to squeeze some lemon juice over them to prevent browning. Set aside.
  8. Grab the smallest sheet tray you have. Cover it in parchment paper.
  9. Chop almonds and place on the sheet tray in one even layer together.
  10. Pour honey over top and take a spatula to spread around. You want all the almonds to be covered in the honey and spread out to a nice thin layer.
  11. Add sheet tray with almonds to the oven.
  12. Bake for 15 minutes or until honey hardens and darkens to a nice gold brown. The honey will bubble and spread, that’s normal.
  13. About halfway through baking take a rubber spatula and pull the honey back to the almonds. Continue baking until 15 minutes is done.
  14. Remove from the oven to cool. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
  15. Place in the freezer to harden while you gather everything to assemble the salad.
  16. Once cooled break apart like brittle or break with a clean meat hammer to break it into shards.
  17. To assemble salad, get a large salad bowl. Add arugula, cooled squash, apples, and cranberry vinaigrette (See Recipe).
  18. Toss and serve with almond ‘brittle’ on top. Enjoy! 

               

Nutrition Facts:
Calories- 378
Carbs- 56.5 g
Protein- 4.5 g
Fat- 18.1 g