Bready or Not: Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad with Almond Butter Dressing

If you just looked at the name of this recipe and had question marks pop up above your head, I totally understand. That was my reaction, too. It seems like a weird combination, but it totally works. I can testify to that because I discovered this in fall 2012 and probably made it twice a month all the way through winter, as long as I could get butternut squash on sale.



Really, I fell in love with roasted butternut squash. This dish just makes it into a more balanced, higher protein meal--three meals, to be exact. This is something my husband won't eat. It's ALL MINE. Bwa ha ha! So I make it, divide it into three Gladware containers (each ends up being 11-12 ounces), and have my lunch for the next three days.



The original version of this recipe uses tahini; sorry, I just can't spend that much for a jar of nut butter! Almond butter works just fine for me, though you can use any nut butter you want, really. I find that I can get about 6 servings (about 2 teaspoons each, roughly) out of a batch of dressing (i.e. I make the squash recipe twice) and it keeps well in the fridge for a couple weeks, though the nutty flavor decreases with time and the lemon grows stronger. This doesn't bother me, and it would be something easily remedied by beating in a little more nut butter.

It's fun to mix out the toppings, too. I usually grow parsley and cilantro in my fall garden, and both work well coarsely chopped up to top the salad. Dry herbs also work. In addition, it's fun to add a little crunch to the top. Pepitas are my favorite, though sunflower seeds and sliced almonds are fabulous, too!

If you love butternut squash as much as I do, seriously, give this a try. If you're intimidated by cutting a squash, here are some great tips!



Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad with Almond Butter Dressing
modified fromSmitten Kitchen

For salad:
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
sprinkling of ground allspice (optional)
sprinkling of nutmeg (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Pepitas or other seeds

For almond butter dressing:
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred almond butter (or other nut butter)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

1) Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2) In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, spices of choice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.

3) Meanwhile, make the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the almond butter, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well (it will be lumpy at first), and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. Add more water if you need to thin it out.

Note that you don't want to combine the dressing and salad until right before you eat them. Keep the leftovers stored separately.

4) To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl.



Add the dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or you could serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.

5) If you're heating a small portion of leftovers, place the salad in a microwavable bowl. Heat for 45 seconds. Add about two teaspoons of dressing. Heat for about another 40 seconds. Stir. Add seeds or nuts.

OM NOM NOM.