Warm Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad

My Grandfather passed away Tuesday night and I turn 31 tomorrow. Time is passing and life is moving. I don’t feel 31 at all. I still can’t refer to myself as a woman without smirking. I keep wondering if he thought about how he got there – to 89 and how his daughter could possibly be a grandmother. Will I think of myself as I am today, a 31 year old mother, at 89?

Ps. Turning 30.

WARM BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHICKPEA SALAD
Serves 4
This is a dish my family has made for years. We slightly tweaked it from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from other sources.

For salad:
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
15-ounces of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 of a medium red onion, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

For dressing:
1 medium garlic clove, grated on microplane
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Toss butternut squash with olive oil and salt. Lay in single layer on baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, and tahini. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of tahini flavor but also a kick of lemon. You may need to add more water to thin it out a bit.

To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Toss carefully and serve immediately.