Kale salad with roasted butternut squash and spiced pecans

Indulge in a flavorful kale salad featuring the perfect combination of roasted butternut squash and spiced pecans. A culinary delight that tantalizes your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cakes pecan halves
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon chimayo chile powder or cayenne powder or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 bunches kale
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 2-4 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Remove the skin from the squash, cut it in half, remove the seeds, and then chop it into cubes that are 3/4-inch in size. In a spacious baking sheet, mix the cubed squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes or until the squash is soft. Let it cool. The squash should be soft but still firm. It needs to hold its shape when mixed in the salad and be fully cooked. (You can roast the squash a day before and store it in the fridge.)
2. In a large bowl, beat one egg white with chimayo chile powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt until the egg white becomes frothy. Coat the pecans with the egg white mixture and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper using your hands. Bake at 200 °Cor 15-20 minutes, checking occasionally to prevent over-browning. (You can toast the pecans a day or two earlier and store them in a sealed container.)
3. Remove the thick stems from the kale leaves, then cut the leaves in half lengthwise before slicing them crosswise into ribbons. Soak the cut leaves in a bowl of water, swish them to remove any dirt, let the grit settle at the bottom, then lift the leaves out of the water and spin them dry in a salad spinner. Transfer the washed leaves to a large bowl. Mix in finely chopped red onions. Pour two tablespoons of aged balsamic vinegar over the kale and onions, then massage the leaves with your hands to soften them and distribute the vinegar.
4. Combine the roasted squash cubes, toasted pecans, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in the bowl, and gently mix to keep the squash intact. The oil from roasting the squash and the pecans adds richness to the salad, so you won't need much additional olive oil. I used about 2 tablespoons, but adjust according to your taste as you add.

Summary:

• Calories: 1976 kcal
• Fat: 168 g
• Protein: 35 g
• Carbs: 117 g
• Potassium: 3997 mg
• Magnesium: 502 mg