This article was sponsored by Bai. All opinions are my own.

Hello September (and Happy Labor Day)!

Where did the summer go? It went way too fast, as always! I’m still holding onto the warm weather by sharing today’s recipe with you. This recipe is full of flavor, color and antioxidants to keep you feeling like it’s still summertime. Plus, it’s chock full of fruits and veggies (like clementines, beets, kale, purple cabbage and acorn squash) to keep you full and satisfied for a simple weeknight family dinner or a lovely (and super elegant) weekend dinner party. Don’t you just love these colors? So vibrant and beautiful!

I wanted to create a recipe that was a mixture between fall and summer because the weather is still warm here in Manhattan, however it’s September so fall is just around the corner and the leaves will start falling from the trees shortly. In an effort to hang on to the warm, long days of summer, this recipe is full of everything summer is all about – fresh fruits and veggies and a whole lot of flavor, however, the base of the recipe is acorn squash, which is a fall veggie that is already popping up all over the farmer’s markets and in the food stores. And the best part is the dressing on this recipe. It’s made from fresh beets and my new favorite (super flavorful and delicious) beverage, Bai.

If you haven’t gotten your hands on a bottle of Bai yet, I highly suggest heading to your nearest store to pick up a few bottles. It’s beyond. Beyond delish and refreshing and super flavorful to add to recipes without adding any sugar! You all know how I don’t add sugar to my recipes and this is the perfect excuse to drink something that you actually like – that isn’t water – and to use a bit in a recipe that you want to add naturally sweet flavor to- without the crazy sugar bomb hangover that refined sugar does to all of us. I know you know that feeling. And if you look on the label of your salad dressings that are lingering on your fridge door, I’m sure there is sugar in the ingredient list…hiding in there somewhere. Go look! Then throw it out. Because making your own is the bomb diggity and tastes SO much better. Plus, it’s better for you. Ready to see how to make a lovely beet dressing on top of tender roasted acorn squash?

I thought so! Your mouths are totally watering from all these pics, aren’t they? I took a ton of pictures of this because it was way too pretty NOT to. Hehe.

Anyway, this bottle of love is the answer to your sugar cravings. Go ahead, take a sip. Or two. Or three. But make sure to leave some extra for the dressing of this recipe. You’re going to love it. Plus, I know you’ve never made a dressing quite like this ever before. It’s unique, full of flavor, and obviously antioxidants (thanks Bai!). So, head on out to your food store, toss these below ingredients in your basket and let’s get this recipe started.

Bring summer back into your kitchen with this dish that will please the whole family. Trust me.

Enjoy!

xo

Roasted Acorn Squash with Beautiful Clementine Beet Dressing {Vegan, Gluten, Dairy and Soy-Free}

Serves: 4

 

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Prep

10 minutes

Cook

25 minutes

Total

35 minutes

 

Free of gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, eggs. Vegan, Vegetarian.

Author: Amie Valpone

Recipe type: Entree

Ingredients

• 2 large fresh red beets
• 1 large acorn squash halved and seeded
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil plus more if needed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 Tbsp. Bai Costa Rica Clementine plus more if needed
• 1 cup raw almonds soaked overnight in water
• 1/4 cup chickpea miso paste
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 head flat dinosaur kale very finely chopped
• 2 cups finely chopped purple cabbage
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 small green bell pepper finely diced
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Drizzle the beets and squash with olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper. Then place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast the beets and the squash for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes or until cool enough to touch. Set the squash aside (you can peel the squash or wait until served to peel it) and work with the beets.
3. Peel the beets with your hands (or a paper towel if you don't want to stain your hands), remove the stems and place the peeled beets in a food processor with the Bai liquid, drained almonds, miso paste, cucumber, lemon juice, fresh ginger, 1/4 tsp. sea salt and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, to taste. Puree until smooth. Add more Bai liquid if you'd like a thinner consistency. Season to taste and transfer to a small bowl.
4. On a large serving platter, arrange the roasted squash and top with the chopped kale, cabbage, red onion, bell pepper, fresh cilantro, sea salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with the beet dressing and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Acorn Squash with Beautiful Clementine Beet Dressing {Vegan, Gluten, Dairy and Soy-Free}

Amount Per Serving

Calories 420 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 971mg42%

Potassium 1240mg35%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 4837IU97%

Vitamin C 113mg137%

Calcium 230mg23%

Iron 4mg22%

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

This post was sponsored by Bai. All opinions are my own.