Roasted Acorn & Delicata Squash Salad With Wheat Berries & Bitter Greens

By ltrodrigu

This salad will be a welcome comfort in the colder months. Fall offers up delicious squashes and bitter greens, and are best when simply dressed.

Ingredients

• DRESSING:
• 1 cup wheat berries, rinsed and soaked in 3 cups water for 12 hours
• 4 cups water
• 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• SPICED PUMPKIN SEEDS:
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, thoroughly rinsed and drained
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• ROASTED SQUASH:
• 1 medium acorn squash, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and cut in 1/3-inch slices
• 1 medium delicata squash, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut in 1/3-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• SALAD:
• 4 loosely packed cups small red or green mustard leaves
• 4 loosely packed cups arugula leaves
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 4 ounces aged goat cheese, shaved

Preparation

Step 1

WHEAT BERRIES:
Drain and rinse soaked wheat berries. Place wheat berries in a medium lidded pot, cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer until plump and tender, 1½ hours. Add extra water as needed to keep grains submerged while simmering. Remove from heat and drain well. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make SPICED PUMPKIN SEEDS:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toss seeds with remaining ingredients. Spread over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place on middle rack in oven and toast 12 minutes. Stir seeds and continue toasting until puffed and fragrant, 10-12 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely. Reserve ¼ cup spiced pumpkin seeds for use later in recipe. (Remaining seeds will keep up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

ROAST SQUASH:
Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place acorn squash on one baking sheet and delicata on the other. Drizzle each tray with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and a pinch of black pepper, and toss to combine. Place in oven and roast 30 minutes. Flip squash slices, rotate trays, and roast until brown, 10-15 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

MAKE DRESSING:
Whisk together vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl, then stir in ½ cup cooked wheat berries. (Reserve remaining cooked wheat berries for another use. They can be stored in refrigerator up to 4 days.)

ASSEMBLE SALAD:
To serve, toss greens with dressing, then lightly toss in squash, shallots, goat cheese and ¼ cup spiced pumpkin seeds.