healthy cooking

It’s not officially Fall, but that isn’t stopping T.W.O. to slowly start introducing Fall Foods into their recipes. Since it’s still warm out, we decided to take this semi-Fall dish and throw it over a bed of lettuce. Check out how we created this delicious, sweet tasting transitional salad.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Squash & Cranberries

Ingredients:
– 4 cups spinach
– 2 boneless chicken breasts
– 2-3 Persian cucumbers
– 1/2 cup dried cranberries
– 3/4 cups mini heirloom tomatoes, halved
– 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, diced
– 1 small butternut squash
– 2 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
– 1 Tablespoon nutmeg
– 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
– I Tablespoon chili flakes
– pear champagne vinaigrette dressing
– Krazy Salt
– Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the BBQ to medium heat.
2. Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, chili flakes, Krazy Salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Cut the butter butternut squash into flat slices so they can be put on the grill. Season with olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg. Set aside.
4. Once the BBQ is heated, place the butternut squash on the grill along side the chicken. Make sure not to turn the heat up too much, you don’t want to burn your squash. Cook for 20 minutes or until done.
5. While the chicken and squash are cooking, chop all the vegetables for your salad. Plate and add dried cranberries.
6. Remove the chicken and squash from the grill. Slice the chicken and cube the squash. Add to the salad topped with the pear champagne vinaigrette.
7. Grab your utensils and enjoy!

Picture this: A cold autumn’s night with green vegetables, toasted pine nuts, butternut squash and goat cheese. Sounds T.W.O. perfect, right? Well it is! Check out how to make this dish below.

Ingredients:

– 1 large butternut squash
– 2 large shallots, quartered
-4 gloves of garlic, skinned and halved
– 1 ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
– 1 ½ Tablespoon nutmeg
-1 large head Swiss chard, stems and leaves chopped separately
-¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
-¾ cups dried cranberries
– ¼ cup honey goat cheese, crumbled
– balsamic vinegar, to drizzle

Preheat oven to 375ᴼ. Peel the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Seed the squash and cut into bite-size cubes. Spray/brush the squash with olive oil and mix in cinnamon and nutmeg. Once the squash is coated, place on a baking sheet and cook for about 30-40 minutes until soft. Check the squash periodically and mix.

At the 20 minute mark, add the garlic and the shallots to the butternut squash on the baking pan in the oven.

While the squash medley is cooking, chop the Swish chard stems and sauté in a fry pan for 3 minutes with a drixzle of balsamic vinegar. After 2 minutes, add the Swish chard leaves.

Mix in the cranberries and the roasted pine nuts.

Remove the squash, shallots and garlic from the oven and add to the Swish chard mixture. Once mixed, remove from stove and plate the ingredients. Add the goat cheese to the top for garnish. Serve immediately.

T.W.O. enjoys having this for leftovers for lunch the next day. Just heat it up in the microwave or on the stove and you will have another tasty meal!

Happy cooking!!!