September is usually my favorite month in Chicago, but this year we’ve had a bit of a rough start with the weather. It’s been so grey and chilly that I’ve had to start using my heavy fall coat already. While I’m none too pleased about this weather, I do have to admit that I love all of the other aspects of fall – especially the food.

My parents came over for lunch on Sunday, and I wanted to make something simple and easy to share. A salad immediately came to mind, but I was looking for something to make it heartier for the chilly weather. I decided to make a twist on classic panzanella: an autumnal version with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, goat cheese, pine nuts and a honey vinaigrette. It turned out so well that I wanted to share the recipe right away.

I love how the bread in panzanella soaks up all of the delicious dressing without becoming overly soggy. There are so many other things I like about the salad – the tart and crunchy pomegranate seeds, the creamy goat cheese, and the sweet dressing. The roasted butternut squash makes the salad more filing, yet it doesn’t make it overly heavy. Each bite exudes autumn to me.

