RECIPE | KALE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD

This week's star vegetable is Butternut Squash. I'll be cooking one squash in 2 different recipes saving you money, time and helping to reduce your carbon footprint. Whenever I create my weekly food plan, I aim to use one ingredient in at least two dishes. I am not a fan of food waste and just because it goes into your compost bin doesn't mean it's helping the environment by much. Food waste releases greenhouse gases which furthers climate change. So be mindful of how many groceries you buy or aim to use it all!

• This salad is sweet and great for all seasons. It contains butternut squash, kale, pomegranate and pumpkin seeds. It's great as a main or as a side dish. But the best part of it all is that butternut squash is incredibly nutritious. Read below for some health benefits:
• Lowers blood pressure. One cup of butternut squash has 500 mg of potassium which offsets the consequences of sodium.
• Keeps you regular on the toilet. 1 cup of this squash contains "7 grams of fibre, which helps prevent constipation and maintain a healthy digestive tract by supporting healthy bacteria in the gut".
• Betters your eyesight. 1 cup of this squash possesses 350 percent of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin A.
• Strengthens your bones. It has 17% of the recommended daily amount of manganese which assists in bone structure and density.
• Defends your skin. This squash contains 50% of the daily requirement of vitamin C which helps keep your skin healthy.
• Raises your immunity due to high levels of vitamin C.
• Lowers inflammation as butternut squash contains a lot of antioxidants which fight against cancer.
• Great dieting tool. Since it contains so much fibre but it's low in calories, it tricks your body into feeling more full preventing you from snacking on unnecessary calories.

Sourced from Organic Authority

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 30 MINS | BAKE TIME 30 MINS

• 1 HEAD OF ORGANIC KALE
• SEEDS OF 1 POMEGRANATE
• 1/2 OF A MEDIUM ORGANIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH (PEELED, DE-SEEDED AND DICED)
• 1/3 CUP OF ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
• OLIVE OIL

DRESSING: This salad goes well with a sweet lemon based dressing. For a good and simple recipe, check out this one by clicking here

1. Prepare ingredients as listed above. Tip: Do not use stems of the Kale leaves, they're too tough to chew.
2. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Spread your diced butternut squash on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some olive oil over top and massage into the pieces. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. In a large salad bowl, add your kale leaves in first. Pour your desired dressing over top and mix well. Allow leaves to soak in dressing for at least 5 minutes before adding squash, pomegranate and pumpkin seeds.
4. Serve with a sweet lemon based dressing and enjoy!