Healthy-ish Warm butternut squash & ham salad with balsamic maple vinaigrette
I was craving a winter salad but all I could find were recipes with pancetta or bacon. I love those but I wanted to make it a little healthier so I substituted with diced ham steak. And, the vinaigrette has less oil and just a little maple syrup in it.
Ingredients:
2 cups Butternut Squash 1/4″ cubes
2 cups brussel sprouts cleaned and halved
Ham steak cubed
Olive oil or Pam olive oil spray
Arugula
Croutons
Salt and pepper to taste
Vinaigrette ingredients:
3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Shallots finely chopped
Preheat a non-stick pan on medium high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add brussel sprouts to pan cut side down and cook until browned, add 2 Tbsp water to pan and cover to steam brussel sprouts for a few minutes until tender. Set aside. Add butternut squash to pan and brown. Set aside. Add a little more oil and diced ham and brown. Meanwhile in a bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, shallots and maple syrup. While whisking, slowly add olive oil until it starts to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put a large bunch of arugula in a salad bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat but not be soggy. Now toss in squash, brussel sprouts, ham and croutons.
Optionally you can also add some toasted almonds and goat cheese.
