Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Butternut Squash, and Goat Cheese

My new year resolution is to lose the 10 pounds that I unfortunately gained the last year of med school (too many interview dinners!) and which has stubbornly remained during intern year so far.

Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Butternut Squash, and Goat Cheese I Obsessive Cooking Disorder

I confess, I haven’t really cooked in a month because I’ve been eating almost every meal at our hospital cafeteria while in the medical ICU.

Most people are unimpressed by hospital food, but our cafeteria is pretty good actually. My go to lunch choice is the make-your-own salad bar. Salads always seem to taste better when made by someone else, plus they have so many ingredients. 
I’ve stopped exercising because when you come home super late everyday, and have to wake up early the next day, the last thing that I want to do is running / lifting / doing push ups. 
Also, because, sleeping and eating ice cream sounds more appealing when you come home after a 28 hour call with no sleep.
Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Butternut Squash, and Goat Cheese I Obsessive Cooking Disorder
Cutting back on calories is much easier than burning them, so that’s been my plan for those tough rotations. Luckily, I’ve finally finished MICU and have a little bit more time now as I’ll be starting elective! 
While it was a great experience, and I learned a ton (and I really do believe you need the long hours to gain the clinical acumen to be a proficient doctor in residency), I definitely look forward to having time to make more of my own meals 🙂Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Butternut Squash, and Goat Cheese I Obsessive Cooking Disorder
This Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Butternut Squash, and Goat Cheese is inspired by Ambitious Kitchen, who came up with the amazing combination of fun ingredients. Pomegranate, roasted butternut squash, and goat cheese, make this a hearty fall or winter salad to keep you going through those long workdays (and maybe just a step up fancier than those cafeteria salads).

Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Butternut Squash, and Goat Cheese 

Ingredients
SALAD
1/2 pound butternut squash, cubed
1 teaspoon olive oil
cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper, to taste
1 large bunch of kale, stemmed and finely chopped
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
3 tablespoons goat cheese
1/4 cup slivered almonds

DRESSING
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoons honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine butternut squash cubes, olive oil, and spices, and roast for 20 min until soft.

Pour your kale into a bowl. Stir all your dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Pour dressing all over the chopped kale and toss. When you are about to serve, arrange your salad on a plate, and top with your roast butternut squash, pomogranate, goat cheese, and almonds. Enjoy!

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16 Comments

  1. This salad looks SO good! I'm obsessed with all the bright, fresh colors. And I totally agree, while sitting in a classroom 8 hours straight and risking death-by-powerpoint daily is not as traumatic as your long shifts, working out is literally to exhausting to even consider. SO salad it is! 😉