Spinach Pumpkin Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the salad
- 5–6 cup cubed pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 pound peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp
- pinch of salt
- 5–6 cups fresh spinach
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons hemp hearts
- optional – feta cheese or dairy-free soft cheese alternative
For the dressing
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cubed pumpkin in a bowl and toss with avocado oil, maple syrup, salt and garlic powder. Add evenly throughout the baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes, until soft and tender.*
- While the pumpkin cooks, place pomegranate juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring pomegranate juice to a low boil for 10 minutes or so, until the liquid has reduced by over half and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (similar to maple syrup). Once reduced, cool slightly then add all ingredients for the pomegranate dressing to a resealable jar. Close jar and shake to combined. Once combined, place in the fridge until salad is ready for dressing.
- Place a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Pat the shrimp dry and sprinkle with salt on top. Once pan is hot, place shrimp in pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until completely pink and tails have curled in.
- Place pine nuts in a small nonstick pan over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.
- Once the pumpkin is done cooking, use a knife to remove the skin. Add spinach, pine nuts, hemp hearts, pumpkin and shrimp to a large bowl. Pour on dressing to desired amount then toss to coat. Serve immediately and enjoy fully
Notes
*Time will range depending on the cube size of the pumpkin