Lately….I’m obsessed with butternut squash recipes. You’ll see why when you dig into this fabulous salad in a little bit.

But in the meantime, let’s chat.

I’ve learned the greatest lesson in our lives is to love. Maybe that explains why our family can be the most difficult people for us to love sometimes…my dad and I had an awful relationship when I was growing up–and up until this past winter when my Lyme disease came back–did we start to get along without fighting (a.k.a. me crying and being upset for days/weeks/etc.) I thought he was rude, judgmental, stubborn, opinionated and ignorant. But all these things that upset me about my dad — were things/traits I needed to look into myself — maybe they were traits in myself that I didn’t want to own up to at the time. Once I realized this, my dad and I were set free.  I worked on myself and his actions, words, etc. stopped bothering me. Now, our relationship is real. Has it been easy? No. We’ve all got relationships that upset us or make us sad, angry, etc. but I’ve recently learned that if I do the work on myself and dig deep into why these things are bothering me and what I’m missing and what I need to do to grow and learn—then I teach myself that the things that bother me the most might actually be traits in myself that I wasn’t ready to acknowledge and heal deep inside of me.

…I’ve learned that spending a weekend in silence…doing yoga, meditating, sleeping in, cooking amazing food and enjoying my ME time—is not selfish- it’s important. In my 20’s I felt guilty resting, getting a massage, buying an expensive yoga membership, purchasing organic food that’s overpriced–but now, I just let it go and I’ve learned to find happiness in these little things.

…I love inviting my sister over for dinner—cooking until my Manhattan apartment smells fabulous, laying a blanket on my kitchen floor and having a picnic. We laugh and giggle and eat out of big bowls and toss everything together to make a Buddha bowl that’s a mixture of everything in the fridge. THE BEST!

…I’ve had some AWFUL dates. Ha. Lord, save me! But also some really good ones that are super fun filled with laughter, great conversation and chit chat.

…Yoga has healed me. Yes, I know—-you’ve heard this over and over again and I admit…I was one of those people who laughed and rolled my eyes at people who said ‘yoga healed me’…but really, folks….It has. It’s gotten me to stay present, to focus, to realize how strong I am…and so much more.

…I’m dancing around my apartment to Beyonce in my pajamas and I’m having WAY too much fun. You NEED to come over. Call me.

…I’m finally able to digest nuts and seeds and my life has changed dramatically!!! I’m addicted to raw, organic, unsalted cashews, almonds, walnuts, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Wahooooo. High five for me! Gut healing can happen!

…It’s not about the money- it’s not about the price tag. Yes, forget about the price tag. It’s about what you WANT. I grew up pinching pennies and my 20’s were spent walking 2 miles to get cheaper zucchini. Those days are GONE. Why? I’ve realized I’m worth it. And so are you. I’m not saying to go out and spend thousands of dollars on clothes to make you feel better—nope. It’s about what you want and what’s going to make you feel better, what’s going to heal you and what’s going to make you feel whole, complete and worth it…because you ARE worth it.

…I canceled my cable TV. Now, I lived the last 4 years without a TV- then finally got one last year- and I’m over it. There’s nothing good on. So, I canceled cable…and I watch Frozen—yes the animated movie—and Sex n’ the City DVD’s and laugh in my bed until my belly hurts….TV is so numbing and there’s too much trauma on TV from the news to the shows on cable—I’m happier without it.

…My birthday was last week. I’m the B-I-G 32. Let’s hope this year is filled with abundant health…I’m ready to kick the lyme and autoimmunity for GOOD. See ya later, fellas!

So, what’s going on lately with you?

xo

I want to personally invite all of you to my 3 Day Workshop at Kripalu “5 Steps to a Healthier Diet & Life” that I’ll be hosting with my amazing friend, Sara Snow. The workshop will take place Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday March 20-22. More info is below. I’d love to see you there. Space is limited, so if you are interested you can Register HERE and here is more info about our workshop on the Kripalu website.

For more of my favorites, follow along on facebook, pinterest, instagram, twitter and google plus.

Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why: The Benefits of Eating Organic.

Ribbon Butternut Squash & Kale Salad

Serves: 6

 

Print

Prep

10 minutes

Cook

15 minutes

Total

25 minutes

 

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Soy-Free

Author: Amie Valpone

Recipe type: Entree

Ingredients

• 1 1.5 lb. butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil divided, plus more for coating baking sheet
• 1 small head radicchio finely chopped
• 1 head kale finely chopped
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. shallots thinly sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a rimmed 13x9-inch baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Use vegetable peeler to peel squash into long thin ribbons into a large bowl. Toss squash with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and a pinch of both sea salt and pepper.
3. Transfer squash ribbons in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until tender then turn on your broiler and broil for 1 minute until the ribbons are lightly browned.
4. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large bowl with radicchio, kale and mushrooms.
5. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, shallots, sea salt and pepper. Season to taste for this dressing because some apple cider vinegars and Dijon's can be overpowering so use a small amount at first then drizzle over kale mixture and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Ribbon Butternut Squash & Kale Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 169 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 30mg1%

Potassium 681mg19%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 15452IU309%

Vitamin C 55mg67%

Calcium 97mg10%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.