If you'd have told me six months ago I'd be eating salad greens like spinach and kale, I'd have told you no way. In fact, the only way I'd have them is if they were buried in pizza sauce or baked in a vegan lasagna. The more hidden those greens in particular were, the better it was to me.
But now, I'm embracing eating these greens in their full form....especially if it's in a warm salad. I didn't even know a warm salad was even possible. Guess all those years of iceberg lettuce with cold, limp veggies scarred me for quite a few years. I had seen a few warm salads on some of the blogs I adore, so I thought I'd give it my own spin. The combo of warm and cold together creates such a unique texture and flavor, that these salads (and its many variations) have become part of my daily routine. The base of this salad is a good two handfuls of 50/50 mix of spinach and baby greens. While the topping changes almost daily, here's the one I've been enjoying the past couple of days. Its a mixture of 1/4 cup green peas, 6 green beans, 1 cup roasted butternut squash (leftover from my food prep day Monday morning), 1 piece of turkey bacon, Himalayan sea salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence to flavor. Before I began to eat, I sprinkled about 1/2 tsp of hemp seeds on top for a nutty crunch. And then I dug in. Wait.... Bacon, Brooke?? I thought you didn't eat meat?? I do sometimes, as a condiment. So yes, I added a piece of turkey bacon. It's totally optional, in fact, it's one of the first times I've cooked with meat in a while---and its the only meat I've eaten for over a month. I just love the combo of the salty-ness of the bacon and the creaminess of the butternut squash and peas. Even before I became a foodie, when I was just a kiddie, I loved peas and bacon together (it was the only veggie I'd eat back then). So, my grown up version is a little homage to my childhood. And I did go back to eating meatless after the making of this salad. So, still loving my mostly plant based lifestyle, no worries there! I'd love to hear what food combos you've been loving....maybe they'll end up as inspiration for one of my salad creations! Enjoy!
Printable Recipe: Warm Squash Salad With Peas
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