I finally feel caught up from my trip! Laundry and linens are clean. House is back together. Paperwork has been completed and filed. One freelance project has been turned in. Bakery to-do list keeps growing!
How many of you thought this fennel was onion!?
While I worked from home today, though, I was able to work on dinner! Bit by bit I got veggies roasting and lentils cooking so when dinnertime came I just had to assemble and serve.
Roasted butternut squash – coated in cinnamon and cayenne
Roasted FENNEL and cherry tomatoes, coated in smoked paprika!
Matt was on the road to Great Harvest Warrenton picking up bread for our race tomorrow, so I had dinner on the table when he returned. I nibbled on the roasted goodness to hold me over until he arrived.
POM seltzer for the cook!
This roasted lentil salad would make a great lunch, a picnic or potluck dish or as we did – a simple dinner on a rainy night. Serve at any temperature you like.
Roasted Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- For The Salad
- 1 butternut squash cubed
- 1 head fennel sliced, plus fronds, minced
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1.5 cups dry lentils
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Kosher salt + pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive or canola oil
- Dressing
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp garlic gold or olive oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400*. Spread butternut onto baking sheet and coat with cinnamon, cayenne and kosher salt. Drizzle with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Toss together. Bake for 40 minutes, until squash is tender and caramelized.
- Place fennel and tomatoes on another baking sheet and toss with smoked paprika and other 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss together. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tomatoes pop.
- Cook lentils per package instructions until tender.
- Combine cooked veggies and lentils in a big bowl. Add spinach. Top with walnuts and cherries.
- Combine dressing into a jar and shake together. Pour over salad. Mix well.
- Serve and enjoy!
After getting so much done today and an early dinner, I took the night to read my book on the couch – something I NEVER do! Our house is not that comfortable. Our couches are stiff and we don’t have a cozy family room. We are either 1) At our desks 2) On the porch 3) In the kitchen 4) In bed. Rarely do we sit on the couch like normal people! But tonight I did just that. Going to continue reading now up in bed!
[OMG…just realized it’s Friday. I didn’t even remember because we have to be in bed so early for this race tomorrow. Bread for breakfast!!]
Cait @ A Bicycle Built for Two says
Won’t you be so sad when squash is out of season? Jealous of your dinner! Going to make something similar to take for lunches next week.
Anne @ butter and bear says
The salad looks so delicious! I love all the colors and butternut squash is one of my all time favorites.
Andrea @ a farmer in the dell says
The salad sounds amazing!!! Thanks for the recipe. I don’t get to enjoy fennel for a few more months until we harvest it at the farm, but this sounds like a great way to prepare it!!!
Hilary says
Roasted veggies are good in any way shape or form….looks like a yummy salad!
B & B says
Ditto. My addiction. Along with sauteed veggies.
And honestly you can put Butternut Squash in/on/with/on top/under anything – and I’ll eat it. Love! I roasted an Acorn one and have eating that like candy.
I wish I had someone cook for me so I can come home to that! Lucky Matt! (and vice versa when he does it of course 😉 ).
Emily @ One Sweet Vegan says
This looks delicious. Enjoy your quiet, relaxing reading time!
Brenda says
Dinner looks delish! Thanks for including the recipe.
Cindy says
That salad is so pretty!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
Are you kidding? I thought your couches were the best!! Have fun slicing it up tomorrow.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
It’s such a good feeling to get caught up on things! Hope that helps with the stress levels (aka SLEEP!).
Haha, I definitely thought that was an onion! What an awesome recipe. Love all the colors and that dressing sounds so good!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
That looks so good – I have tons of lentils to use up – I think I know where they’re going!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
That looks delicious Kath! I love roasted fennel because the flavour isn’t quite as licorice-y as raw. Roasted veggies in general are pretty bomb if you ask me! Good luck with the early wake-up!
Annie says
Cinnamon and cayenne…YUM! I have a butternut squash sitting in the fridge I think Im going to have to try this spice combo this weekend!
Lee says
I ran the Charlottesville half marathon in 2006. It was the prettiest race I’ve ever run!
Dimple Snatcher says
gah, I love roasted cherry tomatoes and that’s the only way I’ll eat them whole!
Katie @ Nourishing Flourishing says
This looks diviiine! I keep searching for big bowls like you have 🙂 So good for salads like this.
staceyhealthylife says
Good luck tomorrow, sounds like fun.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
i THOUGHT that was fennel! i feel so high and mighty now!
Tessa @ Amazing Asset says
Yum, that salad looks so tasty and pretty! Thank you for sharing this recipe, lentils are among my most favorite foods 🙂
Ellie@fitforthesoul says
great lookin’ salad~so fresh. And have fun at the race tomorrow guys!!
Alaina says
I love how creative your dishes are. 🙂
I usually find myself reading in bed too. It’s so much more comfortable for me.
Jess (Sweet Potato) says
haha, I could never forget that today was Friday. I live for Fridays!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
Roasted butternut squash – coated in cinnamon and cayenne = NICE
The roasted fennel w/ paprika…delish! No way was that an onion, the telltale “pores” or holes that fennel has gave it away on the last post.
The whole salad assembled…awesome flavor pairings.
Sitting on your couch (something i never do either!)…nice. Enjoy your weekend 🙂
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says
That salad looks awesome-thanks for the idea!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
Fennel is awesome, isn’t it?
So is cinnamon and cayenne – I’m drinking that combo in a chocolate smoothie for dessert right now! 🙂
Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out says
Aww, so sweet. And looks delicious, too.
Andrea G says
I did think it was an onion at first.
I’ve got the feeling that you like paprika. 🙂
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
The lentil salad looks tasty!
I knew the fennel was fennel. 😛
Khushboo says
Lunch is decided then- I was debating between a salad or wrap!
No chance I thought the fennel was an onion. Although I was pretty sure that dinner would include cabbage
Emily says
Mmmmmmm bread! Have fun tomorrow!!
Ashley says
Simple + perfect dinner. Great way to end the week! Have fun tomorrow.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Yummy roasted vegetables. I love the lentils addition. Yet to try fennel. Curious of how it tastes 🙂
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
There is nothing better than the smell of roasting butternut squash, especially when it’s covered in cinnamon 🙂
Emilia says
Yum- looks delicious. Love all the textures and colors in the salad. Will be making in the near future! 🙂
Hannah says
Oh yes please! I love fennel, smoked paprika, maple syrup, cranberries. You’re so awesome 😛
Michelle (The Runner's Plate) says
I was going to buy dressing at the store tonight, but I glad I didn’t; instead, I am going to try the one you listed!
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
The salad looks great! Roasted veggies are so delish 🙂
Jumanah says
That combo of roasted veggies with lentils looks delicious!
Marina says
Love your salad!Specially that dressing, sounds pretty yummy!
Sarah (Running To Slow Things Down) says
I absolutely *love* lentils. And they’re so good for you too…little nutrition powerhouses. 😀
Kat @ Big Apple Little Kitchen says
I would have never thought to have put maple syrup in the salad. Looks delightful!
Colleen says
It was Matt… I popped into GH Warrenton yesterday for some tea and I thought that was him but I wasn’t 100%.. so Hi Matt! have a great day today…
lauren @ sassy molassy says
Kath, this meal looks a-mazing! I starred it so I can recreate in the future. I have a personal love affair with Joy the Baker’s roasted pumpkin and butternut squash soup recipe, which also has fennel in it. Outta this world!
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/10/pumpkin-and-butternut-squash-soup/
Molly says
Fennel is one of my newest favorite vegetable! Tomato and fennel soup stole my heart this winter!
Angela (Oh She Glows) says
This looks so yummy!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
I actually have some lentils and butternut squash that I need to use! This looks perfect!
Jil @ Big City, Lil Kitchen says
Love the combination of cinnamon and cayenne!!
Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) says
My husband and I are the same way! …and our couch is nice to look at, but is def not what I would call cozy. We’re either at our stations (yep, they’re stations – I should post a picture of our ‘command posts’ as my Dad calls it some time), the kitchen or in bed… or the yard. …but never on the couch or the dining table.
Angel7 says
Fennel is sooo good! I love the licorice-y taste!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Nanette says
I have never had roasted fennel. I wonder if the husband and kids would like them? Another thing to add to my “to-try” list. Thanks!
Meredith says
I recognized the fennel from a meal I made last week! It added so much flavor to this Italian-style Tilapia recipe that I make 🙂 Definitely going to be using it again!
Sarah Leigh says
Hi Kath! What kind of lentils did you use in this recipe?
KathEats says
Brown!
Karen says
I made this yesterday…so yummy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Karen
Becca says
I also made this recipe this weekend. I replaced the spinach with arugula and the dried cherries with dried cranberries. Delish! I love the rainbow of colors too.
JessE @ Love Life From Scratch says
Did you use all of the fronds from the fennel as well? That is a lot of fronds! 🙂 I am making this tonight and it is my first time using fennel. Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks in your photos!! 😀 Thanks for the recipe.
KathEats says
I didn’t – just a few of them