Autumn Salad with Honey Thyme Vinaigrette

This is one of my absolute favorite salads!  Sweet apples and acorn squash, tangy vinaigrette, crumbled goat cheese and peppery arugula all come together in this amazing and delicious salad.  

The original recipe calls for bacon, but you can omit the bacon and instead sub in chopped chicken breast.

Ingredients 

1 pkg no sugar added bacon (I used Applegate)

2 gala or honeycrisp apples, chopped

1 acorn squash, skin and seeds removed, chopped

1 16oz pkg baby arugula

1/2 C crumbled goat cheese

1/4 C sliced almonds

1/4 C dried cranberries

For the Honey Thyme Vinaigrette:

1/2 C good olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1 TBS honey

1/4 tsp salt and pepper

1 tsp mustard powder

1 garlic cloves, smashed

1 TBS fresh thyme leaves (or rosemary or parsley)

Instructions

1.  Set the oven to 425. Cover two baking sheets with tin foil, using one for the bacon and one for the squash. Lay bacon in one layer on sheet and put in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to soak up grease and then crumble with your hands. On the other baking sheet, toss squash with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning at least once, until the squash is cooked through and starting to brown.

2.  To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Tatse test and add more salt if the flavor is a little *boring*.This can keep in the fridge for up to a week.

3.  To serve, toss bacon, apples, squash, arugula, goat cheese, almonds and cranberries together, then drizzle a little at a time of the dressing until you get the consistency that you want.  Enjoy!