2 delicata squash or acorn squash
8 cups kale (cut very fine)
1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts (toast at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes)
1 cup pomegranate seeds
4 Terra Nossa Farm chorizo sausage (optional)
4 tablespoons sheep feta (optional)
1 tablespoon organic, unrefined coconut oil
Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
¼ cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon local, raw honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash the squash and cut them in halve lengthwise, remove the seeds and set them aside to dry.
Season the inside of the squash halves with alittle organic olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the squash halves flesh side down, bake for about 20-30 minutes. Pierce the squash with a fork after 20 minutes, if they are tender, remove them from the oven, flip them over and set aside.
Note: You can rinse the squash seeds, dry them off, season with some olive oil, sea salt and pepper and bake the seeds as well. They should only take about 15 minutes)
Meanwhile the squash is cooking, remove the casing layer from the chorizo sausage and slice them into pieces. Heat a large frying pan to medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and crisp up your pieces of sausage (this may need to be done in 2-3 batches, be sure not to over crowed your pan or the sausage will not crisp up.) Remove each batch of sausage and place them on a plate lined with paper towel.
While the sausage is cooking, go ahead and wash your kale leaves, dry them, de-stem them. Layer a couple of leaves of kale onto your cutting board and begin to cut them very fine (the type of cut is actually called chiffonade, check it out- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiffonade)
Place the finely chopped kale into a large bowl, warm the tablespoon of coconut oil in your hands and begin to massage the oil into all of the kale; this allows the fibre in the kale to be more easily digested! Add all of your dressing ingredients to a mason jar, shake it up, season with seas salt and pepper if needed. Note: You can always double the dressing for future salads!
Toss your salad with the dressing, add your pomegranate seeds, toasted hazelnuts and sausage and toss everything together, season with sea salt and pepper if needed. Stuff each warmed squash with the salad and garnish each squash with 1 tablespoon of sheep feta.
*This is not a strict low carb recipe but it sure is delicious!
Did you know that squash is super high in vitamin A; which we need for proper vision and to protect out cells from daily toxins. The delicious pork chorizo sausage contains vitamin B12 which is only found in high, absorbable sources in meat products; we need B-12 in order for our brain to function properly and to give us energy!