Rarely, can you find anything good to eat in a chain restaurant. I mean sure there is “Fish Fest” that offers all-you-can-eat catfish fingers. There is the “Rib Round-up” that continuously fills your plate with baby-back ribs. Don’t forget the buffet loaded with over 500 items including the chocolate fountain. Or if you are looking for more international flare, you can purchase a bowl of pasta that never goes empty. Whatever you are looking for, a chain restaurant will fill up your plate and usually throw in free dessert.
But for the vegan, the chain restaurant is virtual wasteland, dearth of any sort of viable food options. Yes, you can get a plain baked potato with some steamed broccoli: which is not a bad option after looking at the chili-cheese fry extravaganza basket. But, I have never seen an advertisement for “Tempeh Tuesday” or “Seitan Sunday.” And, I seriously doubt the neighborhood grill and bar down the street is going to offer a similar 12 course vegan dinner for two for under $20.00.
Consequently, I was surprised the inspiration for this next dish came to me while sitting in a chain restaurant. No, I wasn’t secretly nibbling on fried cheese sticks waiting on my 28 Oz bacon wrapped bourbon glazed secret sauced sirloin steak. No, after a movie, the family was looking for a quick bite to eat. As I ordered the exotic spiced salad without the creamy dressing, chicken, and hardboiled eggs, I was a bit dubious as to what I would actually be eating.
Turns out, the salad was pretty good. Although, I am not sure what was so exotic about it. However, the salad came with roasted butternut squash and roasted beets. These two ingredients started the wheels turning and gave me the idea for a fall type salad. So, in the spirit of chain restaurant named dishes, I present my HARVEST MOON SALAD. The dish doesn’t have anything to do with the autumnal equinox or bringing in the fall crops, but since it has roasted squash, I am using my poetic license. Enjoy.
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Butternut Squash (about 1 large)
- ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Allspice (optional)
- ¼ Tsp Kosher Salt
- Cooking Spray
- 4-6 Medium Beets
- 12 oz Beer
- 1 Tbs Fresh Thyme
- ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
- 12 oz Baby Spinach (chopped)
- 1 Cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 Cup Pecan Pieces
- 20 Dates (chopped)
- 2 Cups Bulgur Wheat (cooked)
Instructions
Cook the bulgur wheat in vegetable broth according to the directions on the package. Then rinse the bulgur thoroughly with water and cool in the frig until you are ready to assemble your salad. While the bulgur cooks, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Peel and chop the butternut squash into inch size pieces or about the size of the tip of your little finger. Place the cubes on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray then sprinkle the cubes with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss to coat and roast the squash for 20-25 minutes or until it is brown on the edges and soft in the middle.
Remove the squash from the oven, finish with the kosher salt and when it is cool enough to touch, place it in the frig to chill. While the squash cooks, remove the stems and leaves and roots from your beets. You don’t need to peel them just yet. Wash well, then quarter the beets and place them in an oven safe baking dish. Sprinkle the thyme and garlic powder over the beets and then add the beer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the beets are tender. Remove the beets from the oven and when they are cool enough to touch, use a small paring knife and peel off the skins. Chop into small pieces similar in size to the squash. You can then chill your beets in the frig for about 30 minutes or you can go ahead and make the salad. I have done both reserving the second method for periods of extreme hunger because the chilled beet is a nice added touch.
Now you can begin to assemble the salad. Equally divide the spinach onto four plates. Top with the bulgur, then add the squash and beets, finishing the salad with the pecans, cranberries, and dates. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the dressing? There is no dressing on this salad. I know it freaked me out a little when I tried it. However, the roasted ingredients provide enough moisture to pull off a salad without dressing. So not only is this salad full of healthy stuff, there is no added oils… double bonus.
http://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/butternut-squash-salad/
So there it is, the HARVEST MOON SALAD. Enjoy it for lunch or dinner. Use it to celebrate the autumnal equinox or the bountiful harvest. It is up to you. I don’t judge. And who says the only good things to come out of chain restaurants are deep-fried onions, endless baskets of garlic bread, and triple cheese beef sliders? At participating restaurants for a limited time only. Prices and availability are subject to change. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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