Low Bowl #23

 

This newly re-committed resolve to figure out how to use what I have has its joys. So here we have a bowl of wintery salads that leaves nothing to be desired! I have a creamy beet pasta salad (recipe from Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures), a butternut squash arugula salad with maple mesquite walnuts and an apple vinaigrette (roughly inspired by this recipe), and some cucumbers with everything bagel seasoning.

Aside from forgetting to add the shredded carrots, I followed the pasta recipe as written, substituting rotini for the macaroni. This is the Barilla Protein+ rotini, plus the sauce is cashew-based, so I didn't need an additional protein source. I made this because I had some cooked beets to use up (from a package of Love Beets in my fridge), but I'd easily make it again. It would be so much more vibrant with roasted beets, though we can't have everything and this is a lot easier.

I also had some arugula and a butternut squash on hand, so that led to this gorgeous warm winter salad. I dressed the arugula in a salad dressing from the recipe that inspired me, then topped it with roasted butternut squash and some maple mesquite walnuts I had on hand (bought a while ago from Nuts.com before being semi-forgotten on a pantry shelf).

The cucumber was fast heading south, so that just needed to be eaten. But cucumbers with everything bagel seasoning is a classic side.

Here's to muddling through!