Lunch: Butternut Squash and Smoky Black Bean Salad

Recipe by Sidney Fry, MS, RD You'll find chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce on the Latin food aisle. Use just the sauce here; reserve chiles for another use.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Honey, Nuts, Walnuts

Health and fertility benefits of Butternut Squash and Smoky Black Bean Salad

One tbsp of honey has a glycemic index (GI) of 55. Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity. Walnuts are low on the glycemic index. What’s more, they also lower the glycemic index of other foods that you eat in conjunction with these nuts. Any kind of nuts provide a healthy source of fat and a great way to encourage PCOS weight loss.

Ingredients

4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
7 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (9-ounce) package baby arugula
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 °.
Combine squash and 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Arrange squash on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 425 ° for 25 minutes or until tender.
Arrange walnuts on jelly-roll pan; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt over nuts; toss. Bake at 425 ° for 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring once.
Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, and adobo sauce in a bowl; stir with a whisk.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add squash, remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, pepper, and beans; cook 3 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons adobo dressing; toss to coat.
Combine remaining dressing and arugula; toss to coat. Divide arugula mixture evenly among 4 plates; top with bean mixture. Sprinkle evenly with nuts and cheese.

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