Roasted butternut squash is as much a cold-weather staple as snowflakes and roaring fires. And, when you pair it with comforting, pasta-like couscous, you practically guarantee that you'll curl up by the hearth with a full stomach.

Serves: 4 to 5

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1-1/2 cups dry pearl couscous, cooked according to package directions
3 heaping cups baby spinach
1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Dressing:
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the diced butternut squash on a baking sheet, toss in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread squash out in an even layer. Roast squash for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing as needed. While the butternut squash is roasting, prepare the pearl couscous. In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients.

To make the dressing, add the orange juice, mustard, garlic powder, honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to a mason jar. Screw on the lid, and shake until the olive oil combines with the other ingredients. Add the dressing to the salad, and serve.

Image via thelittlespicejar.com

While you're cranking up the heat in your home, crank it up in your salad too, by adding some jalapeño to this filling winter salad. It'll warm up your insides without adding to your electric bill.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts
10 to 12 ounces Brussels sprouts
Kosher salt
1 pomegranate, seeded
1 to 2 jalapeños, minced
Olive oil
White balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place walnuts on a sheet pan. Toast for seven to 10 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven. Place in tea towel. Rub together to remove skins. Transfer walnuts to strainer and shake to remove excess skin. Coarsely chop and set aside.

Meanwhile, peel the Brussels sprouts: Chop off the end of each sprout, pick leaves off of the stem end and discard the stem. Using a paring knife, core the sprout the way you would when removing the white part of the strawberry around the stem. Discard the core. With your fingers, gently pull the sprout apart, removing the leaves as you go.

Add a tablespoon of kosher salt to the pot of water. Add the sprouts to the water and cook for 45 seconds. Drain. Run under cold water. Spin dry. Place sprouts in a large salad bowl. Add pomegranate seeds, one of the minced jalapeños, and the chopped walnuts. Season with salt to taste. Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar over top.

Image via alexandracooks.com

'Tis the season where turkey is in abundance -- but a girl can only eat so many turkey sandwiches. Thankfully, this creative salad recipe gives us all a reprieve from standard leftover creations.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1 cup leftover cooked turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
1 avocado, diced
3 clementines, sections cut in half
1 large endive, julienned
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, cut in half
1/2 cup raw broccoli florets, chopped finely
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Dressing
1 orange, juiced and zested
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
1/4 teaspoon guar gum

Directions
In a large mixing bowl add cooked turkey, avocado, clementine, endive, cranberries, broccoli, raisins, parsley and walnuts, and mix well. Set aside. Put all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well incorporated. Serve immediately, or leave in the fridge for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

Image via healthyfoodie.com

Sometimes you want to settle in with a plate full of piping-hot, roasted winter veggies, and sometimes you just want a taste of summer. This citrus-heavy, sunshine-on-a-plate salad might just be the bright spot you need to combat your cold-weather blues.

Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients:
2 four- to six-ounce salmon fillets
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
3 to 4 cups organic baby spinach
1 large pink grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 medium navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
For the salmon: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place salmon fillets on baking sheet. Squeeze fresh lemon over the top and drizzle with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool before assembling salad.

Place the spinach in a bowl or on a large serving platter. Top with citrus, avocado and cooled salmon. Garnish with almonds and green onions. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

cafejohnsonia.com

Beets and goat cheese is perhaps our favorite power couple of the food world, which is the appeal of this simple salad. If you disagree, you can beet it (okay, we'll see ourselves out).

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
2 bunches beets (about 12 small beets, 2 cups cooked)
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons real maple syrup
1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles (or more, to taste)
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil. Wash and peel the beets. Trim the ends, then cut into roughly half-inch cubes. Place in the center of the aluminum foil sheet. Drizzle olive oil over top and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Take a second sheet of aluminum foil and place it on top of the beets. Seal all four edges of aluminum foil together creating a tightly sealed packet.

Roast beets in the foil packet for about 30 minutes, until beets can be pricked with a fork (you can unseal a tiny corner to check). Remove from oven and open packet, allowing the steam to release. Scoop the beets into a medium sized bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and maple syrup. Pour over the beets and let sit for 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, spoon the beets onto a rimmed plate or bowl. Top with half the chopped pecans and goat cheese crumbles. Toss to combine, allowing the goat cheese to melt slightly. Top salad with remaining cheese and pecans. Serve immediately.

Image via stephinthyme.com