How’s it going guys? It’s starting to feel like summer vacation because the weather is finally warming up! I’m starting to establish some rhythm and being more productive, so that’s a plus. These posts are keeping me busy and thinking!

Sooooo I heard that lots of people don’t like salads. What’s up with that? I don’t know what kind of salads that they’re eating, but in my world, salads have hot veggies, cold veggies, protein, mashed avocado, and SICK dressings. Making salads is actually so much fun because you can play around with flavour combos and pretty much add whatever you want. Today I’m sharing the recipe for this Loaded Maple Balsamic Salad. And before you ask, yes, it is VERY loaded. You’ve got sauteed peppers and golden brown butternut squash, corn, carrots, cucs, spinach, avo, hemp hearts, and an awesome maple balsamic dressing. Is it even physically possible not to like that combo? I think not. Go check out the recipe!

Loaded Maple Balsamic Salad

Serves: 1 very hungry person

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• A handful of baby spinach
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Half a bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cooked corn (I used frozen)
• 3/4 cup frozen butternut squash chunks (If you don’t have these you can use roasted squash or sweet potato, and skip the steps related to the frozen squash)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 of a large cucumber, diced
• 1/2 a large carrot, shredded
• 1/2 an avocado, mashed
• A sprinkle of hemp hearts

For the Maple Balsamic Dressing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat, and add in the peppers to saute.
3. While the peppers are cooking, bring some water to boil in a small pot and add in the frozen butternut squash chunks. Cook them for about 2 minutes, then drain and add them to the pan with the peppers.
4. Cook the squash and the peppers until they’re soft and have some browning going on on the outside, about 6 minutes. Then remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
5. In a large bowl, arrange the spinach, peppers and squash, carrots, cucumber, and corn. Place the mashed avocado in the centre, and top with the hemp hearts and maple balsamic dressing.
6. Enjoy!!

I hope this salad changes your mind about salads. It’s the salad to end all salad discrimination!

Yours Truly,

Olivia;))