Update: I updated this recipe with new images on 8/18/2018. Same recipe, just better photography! :)

Warm Spinach Salad with Figs and Roasted Butternut Squash

It seems like the blog world is sprinting at a million miles an hour. When I first started religiously food-stalking in high school, the blog world was small. While I have no idea how much it has grown, it certainly seems like there are more than ten bloggers today for every blogger there was in the mid-2000s. It's more than the numbers: the opportunities for bloggers to do things outside of their blog have erupted, too. Back then there were clubs like the Daring Bakers and support groups like Adopt-a-Blogger (my blog at the time was adopted by Jordan of Kitchen Karate). A few, standout bloggers seemed to be going above and beyond, scoring deals to author cookbooks, or speak on talk shows. These days, bloggers blog like it's nobody's business. Actually, they blog like it is their business and in a few cases, it really is.

You're probably wondering why I'm rambling about this. It turned into more of a ramble than I intended. But when I started Foraged Dish, I was shocked by the number of opportunities that immediately presented themselves to me.

Warm Spinach Salad with Figs & Butternut Squash

Published September 1, 2014 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 3 | Active Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 to 2 cups raw butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cubed

1 clove garlic, minced

6 figs, halved (I use Brown Turkish Figs or Black Mission Figs, but feel free to experiment)

1/4 small red onion, diced small

3-4 huge handfuls fresh spinach (baby OR chopped normal spinach)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds (Also delicious with candied pecans!)

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until it sizzles. Place the fig halves flesh-side down in the hot oil, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the sugars begin to caramelize. Remove from pan, set aside.
Place the red onion, butternut squash and garlic in the pan with the oil. Sauté until the squash it is soften through and browning on the edges (to get a nice sear on the squash, stir only every few minutes, allowing each side to crisp up before turning).
Turn off the stove, and add the spinach to the skillet. Stir, and allow the spinach begins to wilt from the residual heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Scoop everything into your serving dish. Arrange the figs over the top of the salad, and sprinkle with toasted almonds.