Roasted Butternut Squash with Bacon and Pistachios over Baby Lettuce or Baby Wild Greens

Especially rich in: lutein/zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and omega-3s. Most of the omega-3s are from plant sources, which are not quite as good as the EPA and DHA in fish.

Also rich in: fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and manganese

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray
1 1 /2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1 /2″ cubes (~ 4 cups)
1 lb beets, peeled and cut into 8 to 12 cubes
salt & pepper to taste
2 slices bacon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1 /2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 (4.5 ounce each) bags baby greens, such as Tender Ruby Reds and/or Sweet Tender Greens
3 tablespoons chopped pistachio nuts

Directions

Coat cookie sheet with cooking spray. Heat oven to 425°F
Spread squash on half a cookie sheet, one layer thick and beets on other half. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked but firm, tossing once. (Do not let squash and beets touch, since beets will color the squash.) Remove from oven and set aside.
While vegetables are roasting, cook bacon in a small, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove, pat dry, and crumble. Retain 2 teaspoons of the drippings. 3) In a small bowl, blend vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, bacon crumbles and bacon drippings. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss onion, lettuce, and dressing until thoroughly coated. Arrange on 6 salad plates, place equal amounts of the roasted squash in the middle and the beets around the edges. Sprinkle with pistachios.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 171 Calories; 35% fat (6.7 g total, 1.7 g saturated), 124 mg omega-3s, 55 % carbohydrate (23.5 g), 10% protein (4.3 g), 4 mg cholesterol, 7 g fiber, 33 mg vitamin C, 1 mg vitamin E, 0.72 mg zinc, 116 mg sodium.