Seasonal Hearty Salad and Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing

Salad: What you will need:

• 200g Butternut squash (cubed and roasted)
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil (for roasting)
• 200g Mixed salad leaves
• Handful Baby pea and lovage shoots
• Handful Rocket
• 50g Dried cranberries
• 50g Pecans
• 200g Wild rice
• 100g Quinoa
• 100g Beetroot (this is infused with juniper and honey) diced
• Handful Spring onion (finely chopped as a garnish)
• 100g Apple – diced

1. Peel and cube butternut squash (half) and put on a roasting tray with a drizzle of oil. Cook in the oven at gas mark 5, 180°C for 20 minutes or until starting to brown & crisp. Turn half-way.
2. Dice the Beetroot, apple and crumble the pecans
3. Cook the wild rice and quinoa when the butternut squash goes in the oven, let it cool whilst you wash the salad leaves.
4. Wash the salad leaves, pea shoots, rocket etc and leave to drain in a colander
5. Put the rice and quinoa in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the pecans, cranberries, beetroot, and apple. Mix gently.
6. Prepare the salad dressing.
7. Add the butternut squash and drizzle over the dressing. Lightly mix to ensure an even coating on all the leaves but take care not to squash your butternut cubes.
8. Optional: add pumpkin seed, crumbled cheese (Wensleydale works well), bacon lardons or serve with grilled chicken for an extra protein punch.

Dressing:  What you will need:

• Apple Cider Vinegar (3 Tablespoons)
• Cider: Colcombe house New Catch Can (2 Tablespoons)
• Olive Oil (8 Tablespoons)
• Mixed Herbs (dried or fresh)
• Apple juice (2 Tablespoons: Colcombe House Apple & Elderflower)
• Raw Honey (1 Tablespoon)
• Empty jam jar (for shaking)
• Dijon Mustard (2 Teaspoons)
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Pour the ingredients into a clean jam jar
2. Add the herbs, mustard and honey
3. Shake it!
4. When a light foam and bubbles appear on the top the dressing should be emulsified and a nice consistency.
5. Optional: Add a dash of water to thin, or increase mustard & honey to thicken and sweeten to taste.
6. Serve and Enjoy!

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