A warm winter salad that earns its place at the holiday table

Elimination season often lands in the colder months, when a cold green salad is not what your body is asking for. This one meets you there. Roasted butternut and warm cauliflower rice fold into peppery arugula until the leaves just wilt, with pomegranate and dried cranberries for bright, sweet tart color. It is substantial enough to anchor a holiday table and bright enough to be the dish people ask about.

Color on a plate often means nutrients in the bowl. Butternut squash is a source of beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A to support the gut lining and immune tissue. Pomegranate is a source of vitamin C, involved in collagen formation and immune support. Arugula adds folate, involved in healthy cell division, so this single warm dish spreads a wide range of plant compounds across the plate.

There is real pleasure in setting something this beautiful in front of people you love. Ruby seeds, gold squash, deep green leaves. Beauty at the table is part of how a meal serves a healing body, not a luxury added on top.

Ingredients

Salad:

• 12 oz cubed butternut squash
• 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder, divided
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced shallot
• 10 oz riced cauliflower florets
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 6 oz arugula
• 5 oz pomegranate seeds
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries (choose apple-juice-sweetened, not cane sugar)

Vinaigrette:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (AIP-permitted)
• 1 Tbsp minced chives
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (AIP-permitted)
• 1 tsp lemon zest

All ingredients are AIP Core compliant as written. The only watch point is the dried cranberries, which should be apple-juice-sweetened rather than cane-sugar; currants, dried blueberries, or raisins all work as stand-ins. No nightshade or seed swaps needed.

Method

• Toss the butternut with the coconut oil and half the onion powder. Roast at 425 F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges turn golden.
• Warm the olive oil in a skillet and saute the shallots about 3 minutes. Add the riced cauliflower, the remaining onion powder, and the cinnamon, and cook 3 minutes more.
• Whisk the vinaigrette. Add the arugula to the skillet with the vinaigrette and toss just until the leaves wilt.
• Off the heat, fold in the pomegranate seeds, cranberries, and roasted squash. Serve warm or chilled.

*Adapted from grazed-and-enthused*