I got this recipe off of the Food Network (scribbled the recipe onto a notebook while watching the actual show not online!).  I’ve made a few changes, but feel free to refer back to the original!  It’s SO yummy, and relatively easy (especially if you cheat and get the pre-cut butternut squash ha!)

Ingredients

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced.  If I’m in a hurry, I grab 2 bags from Trader Joe’s, but I still cut those pieces in half because they are pretty big.
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (I usually just drizzle over the top of the butternut squash and don’t measure :))
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup.
• Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/3 C Dried Cranberries
• 3/4 C Apple Cider
• 2 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Diced Shallots or I’ve also used 1/3 C diced red onion
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4-5 cups (or really, you choose depending on how many mouths you have to feed!) of spinach or arugula.  I personally LOVE arugula, but our boys don’t.  When I make this for friends, it’s arugula.  When I make it for the family-spinach.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Place butternut squash on a large cookie sheet.  Drizzle maple syrup and olive oil over the squash, grind a little salt and pepper over and toss around until coated.
• Bake squash for a total of 15, but take it out and toss every 5 minutes, and add cranberries on the last 5 minutes (at the 10 minute mark)
• While squash is baking combine cider, vinegar, onions/or shallots, and a little salt and pepper in a small sauce pan.  Bring that to a boil and stir for about 6-7 minutes so that it reduces.  Take off heat and whisk in mustard.  (original recipe calls for adding a 1/2 a cup of olive oil now, but I forgot to do that once.  It tasted fine, so I’ve left it out ever since :))  You choose!
• Place salad greens in a large bowl.  Toss in butternut squash mixture and dressing.  Pepper to taste.
• Online recipe also calls for walnuts and freshly grated Parmesan.  I’m fairly certain the tv show didn’t/or I just forgot to write it down.  In either case, I’ve never added either, but feel free (and let me know what you think!)  I have sprinkled pumpkin seeds on the top for crunch and it was yummy too!

Super Mom Tip

I’ve turned this into a meal (not vegetarian), by adding some sliced aidells smoked chicken and apple sausages into the butternut squash mix at the same time as the dried cranberries.  The flavors all go so well together!