I Hate March: Salad w/ Roasted Squash & Walnuts w/ Maple Vinaigrette

I know, this should be a salad you eat in the fall.

Roasted butternut squash with toasted fragrant walnuts..........a maple dressing..........seems like November, but it's not.

It's March. My least favorite month of the year.

March teases us with glimpses of new life, after a hard long winter of snow and freezing temperatures.

Beckoning spring to get its feet wet. Those first little crocuses popping up their pathetic little heads.

Everything is thawing and melting, but I know better than to put my coat and hat away for the season.
These past few days have given us a glimpse of spring! (though back to 25F on Thursday).

No local produce yet in the NYC metro area, but I am hopeful.
Maybe a stalk of rhubarb will show up at the markets soon.

Butternut squash is always in season, and I pick up a container of already cut up pieces whenever I see one.

I love this salad, it is adapted from Ina's recipe, but you know I feel about cranberries in a salad, ew, so I leave them out.

Salad of Roasted Butternut Squash w/ Walnuts & Shallots:

1 lb. arugula, washed and dried
1 package of already cut up butternut squash (or cut up one and don't be lazy like me)
olive oil & kosher salt for roasting
2 shallots (or half a red onion), sliced thin
1/3 cup of walnuts, lightly toasted
handful of dried cranberries (ew), if you must

Dressing:

1 tbsp of maple syrup
1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp of grainy mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Whisk up the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, and let the shallots or red onions sit in this for 15 minutes minimum. This will take the bite out and wilt them.

Lay the squash cubes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle w/ kosher salt (about a tablespoon).

Roast in a 400F oven for 15 minutes, then flip with a spatula, and roast another 5-10 minutes until browning.

Lay the arugula on plates and top with the warm squash and walnuts. Spoon some of the maple shallot dressing on top and serve.

Think spring!