Harvest Apple Salad

Harvest Apple Salad
Amount: 8 servings

2 medium beets
2 cups butternut squash
3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon apple spice blend* (page 15)
pinch sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
1 cup cooked wild rice
2 large Sweetango apples, chopped
1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts
8 ounces crumbled goat cheese


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub beets and wrap in aluminum foil. Peel butternut squash and dice. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread onto a baking sheet pan. Roast beets and squash in oven for 30 minutes. When the beets are cool, remove skin from the beets with the back of a spoon, then dice and set aside.

For the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together cider vinegar, shallot, mustard, honey, spice blend, salt and a few twists of black pepper. Slowly drizzle in remaining 3/4 cup olive oil, whisking to blend.

Place lettuce and rice in a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of vinaigrette. Mound the lettuce-rice mixture on a large platter. In three separate bowls, toss beets, squash, and apples with vinaigrette to lightly coat. Add each component as a layer atop the lettuce. Garnish with walnuts and goat cheese.