Smoked Pumpkin Nut Salad

Smokey pepitas give this amazing salad just a little something extra. With honey crisp apple pomegranate salad with roasted sweet potatoes, and fun little goat cheese croutons its hard to go wrong. 

Ingredients

Roasted sweet potato

1 large sweet potato peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

salt and pepper

Smoky pepitas

½ cup pepitas

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon honey

Honey pomegranate dressing

2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

½ cup pomegranate arils

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup olive oil

Goat cheese croutons

½ cup panko

2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoon oil

8- ounce goat cheese at room temperature

Remaining ingredients

1 honey crisp apple thinly sliced

½ cup pomegranate arils

4 cups mesclun greens

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Toss the cubed peeled sweet potato with 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss ½ cup pepitas with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon honey. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until toasted and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the salad dressing. Blend together 2 tablespoon honey with 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ cup pomegranate arils, and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. Slowly drizzle ½ cup olive oil while the blender is on until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the goat cheese croutons. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup panko with 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Stir constantly to evenly brown the breadcrumbs. Remove from heat once the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Let cool slightly.

Cut the goat cheese into bite-size chunks. Coat the goat cheese in the lemon breadcrumbs, making sure to cover all sides.

Toss together the mesclun greens with the apples, ½ cup pomegranate arils, roasted sweet potatoes, and vinaigrette. Top with the smoky pepitas and goat cheese croutons. Serve immediately.

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