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Barley Salad with Roasted Winter Squash

This flavorful, hearty salad is a classic seasonal combination of winter squash, fennel, onion, and orange. Together, these ingredients provide an array of immune-boosting nutrients, including vitamin C, beta carotene, selenium, and zinc. For a gluten-free version, substitute buckwheat for the barley.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Barley Salad
  • 2/3 cup whole barley, cooked according to package instructions (3 cups when cooked)
  • 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup destemmed and chopped lacinato kale
  • 1 small orange, peeled and sliced
Winter Squash
  • 2 1/4 pounds winter squash (butternut, acorn, buttercup, or delicata), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (5 cups)
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dressing
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
 

For the Barley Salad
  1. In a large bowl, add the barley, fennel bulb, red onion, walnuts, kale, and orange.
For the Roasted Winter Squash
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the squash, avocado oil, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, maple syrup, and salt, and toss to evenly coat. Roast, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
For the Dressing
  1. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, mustard, and maple syrup. Drizzle the dressing around the rim of the salad bowl and toss to evenly coat the salad. Season with salt and pepper as desired and top with the roasted winter squash.