Name: Pecan Cranberry Pasta Salad
Ingredients: 12 ounces dry pasta see notes for suggestions; 5 cups pumpkin skin removed, skin removed – see notes; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 2 teaspoons olive oil more for the dressing – see below; 3 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin; 1½ Tablespoon dijon mustard; 1½ Tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup; 2 cups baby spinach washed and chopped; 1 apple washed, cored, and cut/chopped, see notes; ¾ cup sweet peppers; ½ cup pecans chopped; ½ cup dried cranberries I used craisins; ½ cup pepitas; ½ cup red onion thinly sliced

Ingredients

12 ounces dry pasta see notes for suggestions

The Roasted Pumpkin

5 cups pumpkin skin removed, skin removed – see notes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil more for the dressing – see below

Dijon Balsamic Dressing

3 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
1½ Tablespoon dijon mustard
1½ Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

Salad

2 cups baby spinach washed and chopped
1 apple washed, cored, and cut/chopped, see notes
¾ cup sweet peppers
½ cup pecans chopped
½ cup dried cranberries I used craisins
½ cup pepitas
½ cup red onion thinly sliced

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375° and prepare a large baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Start the water boiling for the pasta

Roasted Pumpkin and Pasta

Wash, peel, and removed the seeds from a pumpkin or winter squash of choice. I used the green pumpkin – a Japanese Kabocha squash. This winter squash does not need to have the skin removed. However, you should removed and damaged or yellowed areas of the skin.
Cut the prepared pumpkin into small half-inch to inch sized pieces. You will need five cups which is about 1/2 of a med/small pumpkin. Place the cubed pumpkin into a medium-sized bowl.
Toss the cubed pumpkin with the salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
Spread onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. The edges should start to brown and the roasted pumpkin will be fork-tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while prepping the salad.
While the pumpkin is roasting you can boil the pasta according to package directions. When done cooking, drain, run under cold water, and set aside.

Dressing

While the pumpkin is roasting, prepare the balsamic salad dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and maple syrup. Set asid.

Salad with Add-Ins

While the pumpkin is cooking, you can begin to prepare the ingredients for the pasta salad add-ons.
Slice the red onion very thin. Wash, slice or dice the apple. You don’t need to peel it but you do need to core and remove the seeds. Chop the washed baby spinach. Wash, deseed and slice the sweet peppers. Chop the pecans if they aren’t already chopped.
As soon as the roasted pumpkin has been removed from the oven, begin putting the salad together.
To a large bowl, add the chopped spinach, sage, sliced onion, diced apple, sweet peppers, chopped pecans, dried cranberry, and pepitas.
Add the slightly cooled roasted pumpkin and cooked/cooled pasta and toss together with the prepared dressing.
Serve warm or cold. This pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator for about five days if tightly covered. It can be taken out and warmed slightly in the microwave and served warm (not hot), cold, or at room temperature.