Name: The Perfect Fall Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups of baby spinach; 1 cup of cooked pumpkin; 1/4 of an onion; 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa; 1 teaspoon of pine nuts; 2 Tablespoons of walnuts; 1/2 Tablespoon of balsamic reduction; salt to taste; pepper to taste

If we talk about quick, easy, and healthy meals, then salad should be at the top of the list! I'm not talking about those sad-looking iceberg lettuce with lemon salad but those nutrient-packed ones full of fiber and good fats! This fall salad is so delicious and filling you'll have it as main or a side.

Fall Flavors!

The flavors of this fall salad are so characteristic of this beautiful season! Pumpkin, walnuts, quinoa, pine nuts, and spinach! As with most of our recipes, you can add or replace anything you like. For example, pine nuts can be pricey, so just leave them out or buy them on sale.

Another great thing about this fall salad is that even though the flavors are very characteristic of the fall, you can prepare it year-round! Pretty awesome, right?

It's All About The Dressing!

Let's face it, you can have the best ingredients in a salad, but if the dressing is off, then the whole dish won't work out at all. The dressing is what coats all of the ingredients and brings out all of the flavors! In this case, it calls for a balsamic reduction. Still, you can use a super simple vinaigrette. Just put in a bowl, two tablespoons of the olive oil, one or two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or lemon, salt, and a teaspoon of maple syrup. Wisk it all together until it thickens and voila! A perfect vinaigrette you can use for any recipe! If you're in a hurry, you can use a plant-based store-bought dressing also. So simple!

Add Some Protein!

If you're looking for some extra-protein, then you could pan-fry some cubes of tofu and top the salad with it. Super yummy! What about roasting some chickpeas and then throwing them in there? So many great options!