The season of the winter solstice is a great time to innovate in the kitchen. With that intention in mind, this winter salad, with crisp radicchio, fresh pear, roasted squash and a tangy, homemade dressing, works well as a dynamic side dish to any holiday meal.

Time: 1 hour
Yields: 6 servings

Winter Salad with Radicchio & Roasted Garlic Squash

Ingredients:

2-3 squash of choice (butternut, honeynut or delicata), seeds removed, sliced into 1 inch thick half moons (about 2 cups)
Chosen Foods Garlic Avocado Oil Spray
2 small heads of radicchio, roughly chopped (or substitute any seasonal greens)
1 pear (Bosc, Bartlett or Asian), thinly sliced
½ cup pecans, roasted and roughly chopped or whole
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the Dressing:

4 tablespoon fresh lemon, juiced
3 tablespoon orange, juiced
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons local honey
½ shallot, finely chopped, about 2-3 tablespoons
2 garlic cloves, whole
¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the squash on a parchment lined baking sheet, and spray to coat with the Garlic Avocado Oil Spray. Roast 40-60 minutes or until lightly browned, turning halfway through.
While the squash is baking, begin to assemble the salad by layering the radicchio leaves (or greens of choice) and pear on a large salad plate or bowl.
In a small jar, add all dressing ingredients and shake until emulsified. Alternatively, this can also be done by hand with a whisk.
On the large salad serving plate or bowl, top the radicchio and pear with roasted squash, pecans, parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Top with dressing and serve.

Note: The roasted squash can be made one day before and stored in the fridge. The dressing can be made a couple days ahead of time and stored in the fridge.