Warm Autumn Grain Salad w/ Roasted Butternut Squash and Leeks Recipe

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Slice about 1/2” off the top of garlic bulb to expose cloves. Place bulb on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt and pepper.

Wrap foil around bulb and place on large rimmed baking sheet in oven. (If using dark or non-stick pan, you may want to reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees.) Roast for 30 minutes.

In two separate bowls, toss butternut squash and leeks each with 2 tsp. olive oil and 1/8 tsp. salt and pepper. After the garlic has roasted for 30 minutes, add butternut squash to one side of the sheet pan and leeks to the other side of the sheet pan with the foil-wrapped garlic. (The garlic will continue to roast with the other vegetables.)

Roast the vegetables for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the squash is tender and both are beginning to caramelize. If one finishes cooking before the other you can remove as they are separated.

Unwrap the garlic and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Squeeze the soft-roasted garlic from the bulb. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 T of the roasted garlic with vinegar, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Whisk while drizzling in 1/2 cup olive oil.

The dressing will be thick.

In large bowl add cooked grains, roasted squash, leeks and parsley. Toss with 1/2 of the dressing. Add more to taste, or if making ahead save some to add later, as grains may absorb some.

When ready to serve, sprinkle salad with almonds if desired.