Baby Spinach & Kale Salad w/ Oven Roasted Pumpkin, Cranberries, Toasted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seed), & Honey Balsamic Dressing
Servings: 2

Ingredients
8 ounces bay Spinach & Kale greens mixed, washed & dried
4 tablespoons Honey Balsamic Dressing, recipe to follow
6 ounces oven roasted pumpkin slices, recipe to follow
2 ounce sliced pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
2 ounce dried cranberries
Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Oven Roasted Pumpkin
Servings: 2

Ingredients
1 Small pumpkin or ¼ size of medium sized Pumpkin, peeled & sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher Salt & Ground White Pepper, to tastes

Honey Balsamic Dressing
Makes: 1 cup

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Special Equipment: an immersion blender, or blender

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cut pumpkin into medium slices, making sure to reserve the pumpkin seeds for toasting. Place sliced pumpkin into a small bowl and combine with olive oil and salt & pepper. Arrange pumpkin on a cookie sheet lined with foil and lightly oiled, making sure the pumpkin slices do not overlap each other. Roast in the over for 5-10 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
To Toast pumpkin seeds, lightly toast them with olive oil with salt and black pepper. Place them in a small sauté pan and cook them until they are golden brown. Allow to cool.

2. While the pumpkin is roasting in the oven, in a blender or food processor, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper while slowly drizzling in the oil through the top of the blender. Process until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, toss 4 ounces lettuce and dried cranberries with 1 -2 tablespoons of dressing. Arrange the pumpkin slices on a chilled plate. Place the salad & cranberry mixture on top of the pumpkin slices, top with the toasted pepitas, and serve.

Chef’s Note
The more oil you add the thicker the dressing will become. When toasting the pumpkin seeds make sure to keep an eye on them because they will brown quickly and unevenly if they are not stirred. Also when cutting the pumpkin slice make sure to keep them as uniform as possible so that they cook evenly. The thinner you slice them the quicker it will take to roast and brown in the oven.