Butternut Squash Butter Lettuce Salad with Spicy Avocado Dressing

Let’s talk about getting skinny. Ugh. The worst. Maybe we shouldn’t.

It’s been a winter of cocooning, hibernating and grazing. What else is one to do when its been one of the coldest and snowiest on record? We need to keep warm, right? we need strength to push the shovel through another 8 inches of snow. And what does that better than a little extra girth easily hidden—and ignored—under long sweaters and puffy coats? Ah, thank the Lord for the style Goddesses. 

Well guess what peeps? The groundhog spoke and the style Goddesses listened and spring is right around the corner. Time to lose the bulk and take a look at those pops of colors and short shorts.

Last week I asked my Facebook peeps what you’d like to see more of on the blog: More ooey gooey or more healthy recipes? Your answer? Pretty much straight down the middle.

Me and My Pink Mixer said: “Healthy please! Trying to lose a few lbs. for an upcoming trip to Florida.”

Maribel said: “As someone who has been working on being healthier since June, I’d like more healthier recipes. I love your recipes, but have not been able to make many as I can’t think of swaps… You know I love your recipes and pictures make me crave these foods.”

Susie said: More on the healthy side with a healthy dose of ooey, gooey:-)

And Sarah and Ginni agreed: “Um both… Need the healthy to cancel out the ooey gooey!” and “50/50 we need balance in our lives!”

So like Frasier talking into his radio show microphone to friends he never sees in person—I’m listening.  *Sidenote. I never thought about the similarity of a radio show host and a blogger, both of whom carry on conversations with faceless people in an alter universe. I’ll save the pondering on that for another day.

Now don’t freak out and think my love of cheese and bacon and goo has gone out the window with the baby and the bathwater. No. That will not happen.

But. It will soon be spring. And we could all use more healthy options. And the funny thing is, if you follow me on Instagram you’ll see that this is pretty much the way my lunch looks most every day. Lettuce topped with stuff. Yum.

This salad all started with the dressing. You know my obsession with avocados is strong here at FoodieCrush and since I put them on most every salad I make I figured a dressing would be a good switch up.

I made a variation of this dressing a few months ago for a kale caesar rendition and it received high marks and even a recipe request from friends I served it to. It’s a bit like a green goddess dressing, but spicier.

Butternut squash is classically fall, but why pigeonhole this sweetened, roasty version when it adds a heartiness to the delicate butter lettuce leaves. Accenting the whole shebang with feta cheese and pumpkin seeds gives a salty bite and a little crunch.

Now what about those strawberries? You’re wondering if I’ve lost it right? Berries and squash? Hear me out. I love salty/savory/sweet combinations. And strawberries were in the fridge. And guess what? They work sweetly.

A few things about the recipe:

1. If you can’t find a nice fresh head of butter lettuce, feel free to use another variety but choose one will hold up under the weight of the lush avocado dressing. I like a red leaf lettuce, spinach or the ultra sturdy kale. Leave the spring mix to a light vinaigrette.

2. Are those strawberries too spring like for you or maybe not yet the sweetest of the season? Give dried cranberries or cherries a try for the taste of complementary sweetness.

3. If you’re in the market for a less spicy, more herbacious dressing, leave the serrano pepper out of the dressing and add 1/2 cup of parsley and 1/4 cup of mint for a super fresh spring style dressing. Or try using a jalapeño for a milder kick.

Butternut Squash Butter Lettuce Salad with Spicy Avocado Dressing

Ingredients

½ serrano pepper, seeded and roughly chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 2 green onions, roughly chopped Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more buttermilk it you like a thinner dressing. Add more kosher salt to taste. 1 head butter lettuce (also known as bibb lettuce) 3 cups butternut squash chopped into ½ inch chunks ¼ cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds cilantro and sliced serrano peppers for garnish kosher salt and freshly ground pepperInstructions

Place butternut squash on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat and season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Place in a 450 degrees F oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool. For individual salad plates, layer a few leaves of butter lettuce with some of the butternut squash, a few strawberry slices, some feta cheese, pepitas and cilantro and sliced serranos if desired. Top with a few tablespoons of the spicy avocado dressing and more salt and pepper if desired. http://www.foodiecrush.com/2013/02/butternut-squash-butter-lettuce-salad-with-spicy-avocado-dressing/

Related Recipes
5 Fresh and Simple Avocado Salads
Caesar Salad with Hash Brown Croutons
Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing
Chicken Nicoise Pasta Salad

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Pin It Tagged as: avocado, butternut squash, mexican, pumpkin seeds, recipe, salad, spicy

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Chicken Mango Lettuce Wraps

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After two months of holiday indulging, my friend Patrick informed me that he was going to lose weight in the new year, to get ready for his upcoming wedding to his fiancé Kelsey. “How are you planning to do that?” I asked, curious to know how this young man, a former college football player who could probably bench press a Volkswagon, would approach the challenge. “Lettuce wraps,” he replied.

Well Patrick, this one is for you. And it comes from my best pal and blogging buddy, the incredible marvelous Jaden Hair of SteamyKitchen.com, from her newly release cookbook, Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites. (In fact, all of the recipes in her book would be great for your new year resolution, hmmm, maybe I’ll get you a copy as a pre-wedding gift!) These lettuce wraps are easy, fast, and fresh with stir-fried chicken, green onions, shiitake mushrooms (mushroom flavor bombs), and sweet bits of mango, seasoned with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, and served in butter lettuce cups. You can easily whip them up in less than half an hour.

Why the corn starch? It's a cooking trick that you often find in Chinese recipes. The corn starch helps the chicken hold in its moisture and keep it from drying out in the high heat of the stir frying.

Recipe slightly modified from Chicken Mango Lettuce Cups in Steamy Kitchen's Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair.

1 pound ground chicken (I use ground chicken thighs for more flavor)2 teaspoons soy sauce1 teaspoon corn starch (or potato or rice starch)1 teaspoon cooking oil (a high smoke point oil would be best such as rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, or canola oil)2 green onions, chopped4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil1 large mango, diced (see How to Cut a Mango)1 head of butter lettuce, rinsed, leaves separated

1 Place the ground chicken, soy sauce, and corn starch in a large bowl. Mix to combine.

2 Heat a wok or a large sauté pan on medium heat.  Once the pan is hot, add the oil. Add the green onions and sliced shiitakes. Let cook for about a minute.

3 Increase the heat to high, and add the ground chicken, soy sauce, corn starch mixture.  Use a wooden spoon to break up the ground chicken and spread around the pan.  Stir fry in this way for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, and diced mango.  Remove from heat. Adjust seasonings (rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce) to taste.

Scoop spoonfuls into the cups formed by the lettuce leaves to serve.

Options - stir in a small spoonful of chili sauce, or add a few chili pepper flakes to the oil as it is heating. Top with some fresh cilantro leaves. Experiment with other meats such as lamb, turkey, beef, or pork. Try subbing out the mango with mandarin orange slices.

Yield: Serves 4 as a main, 8 as an appetizer.

Filed under Chicken, Chicken, Lettuce, Main Course, Mango, Quick, Stir-fry

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