Spinach Salad with Butternut Squash

Tiny butternut squash squares make this salad an autumn delight.

Ingredients:

• Butternut squash
• Fresh baby spinach
• Crumbled bleu cheese (or gorgonzola)
• Thinly sliced red onion
• Italian dressing

Wash your squash, then prick it several times with a fork and plop it into the microwave on a microwave-safe dish. Nuke it for maybe 6 minutes (depending upon how big it is. If you aren’t sure, do four, then try squeezing it to test for doneness — with your hand protected by a silicone mitt or hot pad, of course). It should be soft when it’s done. Microwave in additional increments of 1 minute until you’re reached the point where it’s tender. Allow it to cool, then use a vegetable parer to peel off the skin.

Scoop out the seeds, then cut the squash into thin planks. I then used my Genius Nicer Dicer to magically transform the planks into tiny little confetti squares of squash.

See? And it just took seconds to do it! You could instead employ a knife to make the little pieces and I will shed a tear over the fact that you have not yet ordered your Nicer Dicer. Put that on your to-do list! Arrange your washed spinach leaves in a bowl. Add the thinly sliced onion and crumbled bleu cheese and part of the squash. Toss with Italian dressing and start eating!

The winter squashes (such as butternut) aren’t as low carb as the summer squashes, so you can’t eat mass quantities, but this squash is so flavorful and the combination so satisfying that it truly doesn’t take much.