When I was in New York a few weeks ago, I ate at a cute little Australian restaurant called Ruby’s. This place is known for its salads and bowls, so of course I had to go there… Bowls are the only way I would love to live my life. But when I saw their pumpkin and spinach salad on the menu, I decided it had to be mine. And this salad did not disappoint. It was absolutely delicious. It had spinach, roasted pumpkin, pine nuts, feta cheese and a pomegranate dressing. And I added shrimp to my salad to add some lean protein to the mix. Do you know what I did as soon as I got home? I made a pumpkin and spinach salad with pomegranate dressing and topped it with shrimp. super creative. What a visionary I am. But sometimes, when something tastes so good, you really don’t need to change anything. So I haven’t. And since I don’t plan on going back to New York or Ruby’s any time soon, this salad will have to do. And honestly, I think so!! I have to admit… the photos for this recipe kinda suck for rushing to snap them before leaving town, but don’t let that deter you from your experience. Make this salad and enjoy your life, ok?? I only want the best for you!
On a closed, unrelated note, hello from way up in the sky, somewhere over Arizona! I’m flying back to Denver from Arizona with Brian by my side. Yesterday we flew out of Denver at 4:30 pm and this morning we fly out of Phoenix at 9:00 am. The short trip became even shorter due to flight delays. I think we all have to get used to the fact that nothing goes according to plan because people don’t work, they quit their jobs or they just get fired. What a strange time we live. But when we got to Arizona last night, we went to a little backyard concert at a friend’s house. Our friend has a beautiful backyard with plenty of space to eat, drink, and run around, so it was quite enjoyable, even if short-lived. We were supposed to be staying longer in Arizona but work calls back home and we’re having a party on Friday and then we’re taking all our friends to a concert on a party bus. Two concerts in one week is pretty damn awesome!
But what wasn’t too bad was the sewage that came up through the drain in our hotel room last night. That was fun. As soon as we checked into our hotel we got lost on the property because it was so big, but when we finally found our room we were greeted by a smell that couldn’t be missed. I have an extremely sensitive nose, but Brian doesn’t. I walked into our house once years ago and was struck by the most intense smell of gas. Brian passed out on the couch, unaware that the gas was on on our stove. The house could have exploded if he lit a match. So sketch. My point is that Brian smelled the sewage as soon as we entered the bathroom. That means it was BAD. So we had to find our way back to the lobby, which took a while as Brian got lost again before they moved us to a new room. I’ve stayed in some pretty shabby hotels in the past and never had a situation with sewage in the shower. We also hired a car and noticed halfway through our 30 minute drive that the petrol was almost completely empty. It was all a very strange experience in a short 16 hour trip. Will I stay at this hotel again? Negative. Will I return to Arizona? As soon as possible. Brian and I have been toying with the idea of living there or maybe spending half the year there as we still love Colorado so much. It’s time to find out how to create warm weather all year round! I’m excited to see how this new adventure unfolds!
Spinach and Pumpkin Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 35 minutes
- Total time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
For the salad
- 5–6 cup of diced pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp
- pinch of salt
- 5–6 cups of fresh spinach
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons hemp hearts
- optional – feta cheese or non-dairy soft cheese alternative
For the dressing
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- juice from 1 lemon (approx 3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pumpkin cubes in a bowl and mix with avocado oil, maple syrup, salt and garlic powder. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until soft and tender.*
- While the squash is cooking, add the pomegranate juice to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the pomegranate juice to a boil, about 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by more than half and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (similar to maple syrup). Once cooked, allow to cool slightly, then place all the ingredients for the pomegranate dressing in a resealable jar. Cap the jar and shake to combine. Once combined, refrigerate until salad is ready for dressing.
- Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Pat the shrimp dry and sprinkle with salt. Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp to the pan and sear until completely pink and the tails have curled, 2-3 minutes per side.
- Place pine nuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook until toasted and fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
- When the squash is done cooking, remove the skin with a knife. Place the spinach, pine nuts, hemp hearts, pumpkin, and shrimp in a large bowl. Pour in dressing to desired amount, then toss to coat. Serve immediately and enjoy to the fullest
Remarks
*The time depends on the cube size of the pumpkin
What I used to make this recipe:
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You may also like:
Salad with figs and roasted butternut squash
Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto
Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo
Roasted Acorn Squash with Tahini Yoghurt Dressing
Pasta salad in the fall
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