Prepare the Apple Dressing: In a small saucepan, add 1 cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons minced onion. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Let it cool for about 8 minutes or until it has reduced to a one-half cup. Remove from the heat and pour into a glass jar or a glass measuring cup. Whisk in 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, 2 teaspoons vegetable broth, and 1 teaspoon of turmeric. Add salt and dried basil to taste. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, roasted butternut squash, apple, green onion, baby greens, raisins, and nuts, if desired. Mix in the desired amount of dressing and season with additional salt and basil, as needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHEF’S NOTE: As a variation, you could add pomegranate seeds in place of the raisins. What a burst of color that would be! You could also use baby kale in place of the spinach or a blend of spinach and kale. This recipe takes only about 35 minutes to make, from start to finish. To cut corners, you could make the dressing a day ahead. Recipes serves 6.