Roasted Squash and Apples with Pumpkin Seed Dressing

I always like to have pumpkins seeds in the pantry. They are one of nature's almost perfect foods, they are good for you and taste good. They are great to have on hand to toss into salads, granola or with vegetables such as squash or broccoli. They are high in iron, zinc and magnesium and contain most of the B vitamins, along with C, D, E, and K. And, after a little reading I've discovered that these little seeds are a natural protector against osteoporosis.

Here's a recipe that I created, using roasted squash, apples and a healthy handful of pumpkin seeds. The dressing is slightly adapted from Artsy Foodie.


Roasted Squash and Apples with Orange Pumpkin Seed Dressing (Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 apples
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 orange

For the dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup light sour cream
3 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 350

Peel, seed and cut the squash into small cubes or bite size pieces. In a bowl, toss the squash with one tablespoon of grape seed oil. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes or until golden. Be sure to stir every 10 minutes to bake evenly and prevent from burning.

Chop the apple into the same size cubes or pieces. Like you did for the squash, toss with one tablespoon of grape seed oil. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until golden. Be sure to stir every 5-8 minutes to bake evenly and prevent from burning.

Once done roasting, let the squash and apples cool for 10 minutes. Mix squash, apples and pumpkin seeds into a bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, to make the dressing, whisk together the sour cream, lemon and orange juice, orange zest, salt and pumpkin seed oil. Just before serving, drizzle dressing on top of the roasted vegetables.