Whole Foods' Roasted Sweet Potato Salad. by Sarah Henning

The hearty salad we've picked for this week's Meatless Monday is absolutely perfect for the season.

It utilizes the darling of fall and winter, the sweet potato, as well as the sharp and seasonal green arugula, plus honey, which is oh so great locally this time of the year.

And not only will this salad work for a simple Meatless Monday treat, it also is dressy enough that it could make an appearance on your table at Thanksgiving and all through the holiday season.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

2 small sweet potatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

4 cups baby arugula

3 medium radishes, sliced paper thin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes with onion, black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, honey, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and chives in a medium bowl. Toss together arugula and radishes in another medium bowl. To serve, arrange arugula mixture on plates. Toss sweet potatoes in balsamic mixture and spoon over arugula. Serves 4 to 6.

— Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Admittedly, this is more of a “summery feeling” dish, going by just the ingredients and flavor profile.

However, it’s still possible to get very good cherry tomatoes and arugula this time of year, and fresh mozzarella is always a given. If you make it this week, it’ll not only warm you after our recent cold snap, but it’ll probably taste better than if you made it in, say, January.

Serve it with a crusty baguette, maybe some olives and a light soup or salad. You should be able to have dinner on the table in under an hour, no big production needed.

Tri-Color Penne Pasta Salad with Arugula, Cherry Tomatoes, Chives, and Fresh Mozzarella

1 box tri-color penne

6 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 cups baby arugula

¼ cup chives

2 balls fresh mozzarella

2 pints (red and yellow) cherry tomatoes

¼ cup Parmigiano cheese

2 tbsp lemon juice

salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt and cook pasta 1 minute under the required cooking time. Drain and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, place on sheet tray to cool down. In a small skillet saute garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil until slightly yellow in color, set aside to cool down.

In a large bowl combine, halved cherry tomatoes, minced chives, fresh mozzarella and arugula, season with salt and black pepper. Toss with remaining olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice to combine.

Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese and toss again. Let it rest for 30 minutes before serving. Serves four.

— Recipe from www.barilla.com