Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprouts on Spelt with Sunflower Butter Sauce

Roasted veggies of any kind can get this girl in trouble. Place a sheet pan meant for many full of roasted veggies and watch out, I will probably eat them all. I can’t stop, won’t stop and you know what, I am not sorry, especially if its roasted brussel sprouts and squash.l I am grabbing at every last bit, especially all the really crispy, almost burnt pieces. Burnt food is one of my favorite flavors.

This dish is pretty basic, but also not. A slightly overlooked grain, spelt, makes for a hearty backdrop to the magic of roasted sprouts and squash, covered with a sunflower butter sauce which is a nice spin on a traditional peanut sauce. It’s pretty easy to make and pretty to look at as well. A nice hearty and warming meal for all of those cold winter nights. And it’s not going to make you feel heavy or gross, like if you sat and ate an entire lasagna. No, you will feel full and fantastic and ready for a cookie (it is the holidays after all).

The ingredients in this dish are mainly inspired by the half eaten jar of sunflower butter a friend of mine gave me at the gym, plus the fact that I have been getting a few stocks of brussel sprouts each week at farm share so we are eating them at ever meal, (plus I LOVE brussel sprouts) and me trying to use up all of the grains and such in the pantry before restocking anything more or new. A dish of convenience sure, but also a damn delicious one at that. With this being said, if you had a different grain you wanted to use, or an abundance of some other veggies that you have or prefer, well go ahead and use them. You do you my friend.

And really, I was thinking of you when I made this dish. Sometimes at this time of year people tend to forget to eat, or tend to eat on the not so healthy side. This grain bowl situation is just what your body is in need of. Simple delicious nourishment.

The stuff. Spelt that has been soaking in water for a while, half a butternut squash, brussel sprouts, a red onion. Also sunflower butter, a few cloves garlic, a lime, soy sauce, a touch of maple, salt and pepper, and olive oil.

The spelt will probably take the longest so get it on the stove. Strain away the soaking water and place into with fresh water. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Place a lid on pot ans let it go.

Next, get to the veggies. Halve the big sprouts (small ones can stay whole) chop onion into chunks and cube the squash.

A drizzle of oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a good toss around and it ready for the oven.

Meanwhile, make the sunflower butter sauce. Its pretty basic. The sunflower butter, minced garlic, soy, maple, and juice of the lime all into a vessel that can hold it. Add a couple tablespoons of warm water to thin it out and done. Sunflower butter sauce. Easy Peasy.

After about an hour, your slept should be cooked (that sounds aggressive to me) Tender and chewy and just right.

The veggies should be roasted and done too. Crisp as you like ( I actually like mine even darker, but the mr does not so I went a light roast this time)

And it’s all ready for you to eat.

Roasted butternut squash and brussel sprouts on a warm bed of spelt covered in sunflower butter sauce. Living the good life here.

Take care of yourself this week, and always for that matter. Eat some good food. Your body will be happy for it.

Bye.

-C

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Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprouts on Spelt with Sunflower Butter Sauce

Serves 2-3

• 1 cup spelt berries (soaked in water overnight if you remember)

• 3 cups water

• about 1/2 of a butternut squash

• about a pound of Brussel sprouts

• a medium red onion

• 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (unsalted and unsweetened)

• 2 tablespoons liquid amionos or soy

• 1 teaspoon maple or honey

• 1 lime

• 2 cloves garlic

• salt and pepper

• olive oil

Preheat oven to 425

Place soaked spelt berries in a pot with water and a pinch of salt. Bring a boil then reduce heat, place a lid on pot and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or until spelt berries are tender and all the water has been absorbed.

While spelt is cooking, cut sprouts in half (unless they are very small), cube the butternut into pieces about an inch big, and chop the onion up into chunks. Place all that you just chopped onto a baking sheet, drizzle with a teaspoon or two of olive oil and toss around. Sprinkle the veggies with a pinch or so of salt and pepper and pop into the hot oven. Roast for 40-45 minutes or until roasted to your desired doneness. (I like things a lot darker then the mr so I would leave my veggies in for closer to an hour)

For the sunflower butter sauce. Mince garlic and place into bowl or cup with the sunflower butter. Add in the maple, soy, and the juice of the lime. Mix together and add in a 2 tablespoons of warm water to thin out. Add more water if needed to get to a thick but pourable consistency.

Once the spelt is cooked, the veggies are roasted and the sauce is made, well you can assemble and eat. Spelt in a bowl, toss on some roasted veggies, and cover in the sauce. And then you eat it.

Butternut Squash and Lentil Tacos with Jalapeño Avocado Mousse

There are just some things in life that are always right, like puppies, rainbows, human decency, or the smell of  springtime flowers. And tacos. Tacos are always right. Seriously, have you ever meet someone that doesn't enjoy a taco of some sort, of some variety? Everyone has a taco, that is a fact. (Even if you skip the tortilla and go straight for all the fillings like me.)

And if you are like me, lentils and butternut squash are always right too. So are all the veggies and  the avocado. Together all this goodness makes for one amazingly fantastical, very right taco. 

We all need a little bit rightness in our lives right now. Why not start with dinner. 

The stuff. You got to get lenitls, butternut squash, cumin, chili pepper, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Also kale, red onion, cabbage, avocados, a jalapeño, limes, and garlic. And you need something to stick it all in, so flour or corn tortillas. 

Start with making the veggie slaw. Basic here, just chop up the kale, onion, and cabbage into small thin pieces.

All that veggie goodness goes right into a bowl with a sprinkle of salt and the juice of a lime. Give it a good toss to coast it all and set aside to do it's magic. The longer it sits, the better it gets.

Now to roast the squash.  Dice it into small mouth sized pieces. I usually don't peel, but most people do and the mr has been avoiding he peel when he eats the squash so I peeled it (and roasted it and ate it myself) 

Toss the squash in a drizzle of olive oil and the cumin and chili powder and a little salt and pepper. 

Raw squash goes into a preheated skillet (or baking sheet) and roasted until browned and tender. 

Squash meets lentils and it is good. So so good. 

And don't forget the jalapeño mousse. . Dice the jalapeo and the garlic and toss into a blender (or jar to use an emulsion blender) with the avocado, juice of a lime, a sprinkle of salt,  and a little bit of water.

Ready for moussing. 

A pillowy cloud of green goodness. 

You got all the stuff, you know what to do.

Fact. Tacos = happiness. Now get on it. 

-C

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 Butternut Squash and Lentil Tacos with Jalapeño Avocado Mousse

make about 6 tacos 

• 1 1/2 cups cooked french lentils
• 1/2 of a small butternut squash (about 3 cups cubed)
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 2-3 large kale leaves
• 1/4 head of cabbage
• small red onion
• 2 limes
• 1 large or 2 tiny avocados 
• 2-4 tablespoons water cup
• 1 jalapeno
• 2 cloves garlic
• 6 small  flour or corn tortillas 

Grab the kale, cabbage, and red onion and thinly slice and dice into small pieces. Place into bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and add in the juice of a lime. Give it all a good mix around and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 450.  Place your cast iron skillet or baking sheet in oven while preheating.

Take squash, peel the skin off (if you want) and cut into cubes about an inch big. Place in a bowl and toss with a little olive oil and the cumin and chili powder. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper in and toss it all around. When the oven is preheated, carefully remove the pan and dump the squash in it. Evenly disperse the squash then place the pan back into the oven and roast squash until browned and tender, which takes about 25 minutes. 

When the squash is done, remove and dump into a big bowl along with the lentils.

While the squash is roasting you can go ahead and make the avocado mousse. Scoop avocado fruit into a bowl  or blender and add in the jalapeño (seeds and ribs removed) and the garlic. Add in the juice of a lime and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth. Add in more water to thin out to desired consitancey. 

Now you have everything ready to taco. Grab your tortillas and heat them up if want and start to pile it all on. Lentil squash mixture, a good handful of the veggie slaw, topped with a dollop or two of the avocado mousse. Now you got yourself a taco and it's ready for your face. 

Butternut Squash Noodles with Caramelized Onions and Sage

You know how I have been saying that I have so so many winter squashes that they are taking over my house? (the other night the mr and I counted while eating dinner.. there were 29 at the time) Well, not that I think I cannot eat them all myself, but I want to share and I think I found a way to share them that people (especially the mr) will really like… Squash noodles of course!

Honestly, I am always more then happy to just eat a squash pretty much as untouched as possible. All I do is stick one (any variety) in the oven on a rack and bake it till its soft then eat it. And it's like crack.. I can't get enough. If I was not a stronger person, I would probably eat an entire squash in once sitting, then still want more. (It's happened) But that's me. Most of the peps that I make food for are not as squash happy as I am and are not into just squash mush. 

So last night I noodled some butternut for the mr. And win.. he really liked them,  even with a shit ton of caramelized onions. (I loved the onions, he has never been a huge onion fan but still really like them)  Ever since zucchini season has been over, I have been trying to find that new meal that I can whip up in a short amount of time, that the mr really likes, and can be made with the abundance of the season. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. And sure, this particular dish takes a little time to make cause of the onions, which are so worth it, but on a regular old night, I can just toss some garlic, olive oil and a handful of fresh herbs into a pot and it will take like 15 minutes. to make.I am a genius (I am sure that noodling is not an original idea, but whatever, original to me)

Anyway.. squash noodles are now a thing for us, and I am sure will be a thing everywhere soon so you should jump in the band wagon now and get to making some too! .

The stuff. A butternut squash, a few onions, and a handful of fresh sage. . Also need some garlic, wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and some water (water not in picture)

Slice up all the onions as thin as you can, mince up the garlic, and stick it all into a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a small splash of water. Stick the pot on the stove on medium heat until the onions start to cook and smell all yummy oniony and maybe a few are sticking to the bottom of the pot. Grab the vinegar and give the onions a good splash, stirring  around, making sure no onions are stuck on the bottom. Now turn heat to low and cover the pot. Let the onions cook for a while (about a 1/2 hour) giving them a stir ever now and then.

And once the onions are all super soft and starting to caramelize, add in the sage (but mince it first). Keep the pot on low heat without the lid.

While the sage and onions are melding together, turn the squash into some noodles. Do it by the means that you use. I have a mandolin that does the trick, but use your spiralizer, noodler maker, or even a knife and a little bit of patience. Just make sure all you noodles, however made, are all the same thickness to it all cooks at the same time.  So yeah, cut the bottom part of the squash off and use the neck… and save the rest for soup tomorrow.

Note… I did not peel the squash cause I like to eat the skin. If you want, peel it, but really, even if you don't like the skin, you will not notice it in the noodles. 

After the sage has had a few  minutes with the onions, and now that the noodles are made, it's time to add in a few splashes of vinegar and about a cup of water to the pot. So do that and give it all a good stir.

Now dump in the noodles, stir once more, and turn  the pot to medium heat and stick the lid back on it. Let cook down on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or unlit the noodles are tender and cooked, but not mushy. 

Like so. 

Now all you have to do is eat it.

Place a big pile into a pretty bowl, a fresh tiny little sage leave as garnish, and serve with a clean cloth napkin and a clean fork to eat with.. Or better yet, just eat it out of the pot with the wooden spoon  that may or may not have fallen on the floor. (my preferred method of eating)

Have a fantastic Day!

-C

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Butternut Squash Noodles with Caramelized Onions and Sage 

Make 2 Servings 

• 1 butternut squash (or the solid, neck part of a squab)
• 4 medium sized sweet onion
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• handful of fresh sage leaves
• 1- 1 1/2 cups water
• 2-3 splashes of red or white wine vinegar
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste 

Take onions and slice them as thinly as you can and mince up the garlic. Place into o big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of water and a sprinkle of salt. Stick on stove on medium high heat and stir onions until they start to give off a sweet onion smell and are starting to stick to the pot. Add in a splash of vinegar to deglaze pot, give it all a stir, and turn heat to low. Cover with a lid and continue to cook, string now and again, until onions reduce in volume by about half, are all tender, almost falling apart and are starting to brown a bit. (takes about 30- 40 minutes ) When onions are at this point, tiny chop the fresh sage and mix into the onion. 

Now grab you squash and turn in into noodles.( I cut the bottom part off (for soup tomorrow) and use the neck of the squash). You can do this by using a mandolin, a noodler, or even a knife. Any way works, just make sure the noodles are all the same thickness (mine were about 1/4 inch thick) so they cook at the same time.  Noodle about 5- 6 handfuls or cups of noodles. 

Now right before you add the noodles to the pot, add in a few more splashes of vinegar. another pitch or two of salt and pepper, and a cup of water, Mix that all  around then add in the noodles. Give those a mix then turn heat to medium and place the lid back on the pot, checking and string every few minutes until the noodles are tender(but not falling apart) and the water has pretty much evaporated. (about 15 minutes)  If you notice the water is gone and the noodles still need more cooking, add in another 1/2 cup of water.

And when you are happy with the tenderness of the noodles. remove pot from heat, taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed,  and get to eating!!!!!

Banana Butternut Granola Chomp

Chomp Chomp Chomp… The sound I make as I eat this freaking fantastic crunchy granola. You know it's good when the person sitting next to you is annoyed by the sound of you face while eating.  I eat a lot of crunchy stuff. And I am pretty sure I annoy the mister a lot. 

Oh well, he will live, and he eats his fair share of annoying stuff too so we can just call it even.

So granola. I love it. I make a batch every few weeks or so, and I usually make it just for me. (I almost never make things just for me) I like to keep it simple but flavorful. A tad sweet, but not really, and crunchy, without the oily fried taste. I also like a variety of sizes, some big clusters and some small pieces. 

This granola fits the bill perfectly. Made with 5 ingredients, no oil, and the perfect sweetness level.  It's one of my favorite flavors yet. And I know I said I made it just for me, but the mister really liked it too. (I can't help sharing)

The simplest of stuff. 1 smashed banana, a cup of pureed butternut squash, Vietnamese cinnamon*, honey, and old fashion oats. (and a dash of salt, not shown)

*Note. I only ever use Vietnamese cinnamon because once I start using it, regular old cinnamon just won't  cut it anymore. It is a bit sweeter and a lot more spicy. If you don't have it or don't want to use it, use regular cinnamon and add in 1/2 a teaspoon of all spice.Toss the cinnamon and salt with the oats. Mix together the banana, squash and the sweetener and combine with the oats until full incorporated. 

Another note. Because I made this granola for me and no body else, I actually omitted the honey (I think that banana abs squash make it sweet enough) But if I was making this for lets say, the mister, or a friend, I would use add a bit. The sweetness level and sweetener of choice is up to you, but 2-3 teaspoons of honey or maple syrup is usually sweet enough for  people.

Dump the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and give it a little pat, you know, to settle all the bit and pieces together, all cozy and evenly spread out. Now stick into a preheated oven and after about 20 minutes, take out of oven and give the granola a toss, breaking apart any super big chunks or overly wet pieces. Put back into oven for another 20 minutes. (I like my granola super crispy crunchy so I cook it a little longer, like 30 more minutes)And when you are happy with the crunchiness of you granola, remove from oven and let cool, trying not to eat all of it while it sit's on the counter looking all pretty and smelling like happiness. 

Grab a bowl, stick the rest into a jar with a lid, hide it from others, and chomp chomp chomp away!

-C

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Banana Butternut Granola

• 3 cups old fashion oats (use gluten free oats if needed)
• 1 ripe banana, mashed 
• 1 cup butternut squash puree (can use canned)
• 2 tablespoons Vietnamese cinnamon (or 2 tablespoons regular cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of allspice)
• 1-3 tablespoon honey or sweetener of choice (use greater amount for sweeter)
• dash of salt

Preheat oven to 375

In a large bowl, mix together oats, cinnamon and salt. Mix the mashed banana, squash, and sweetener of choice together and combine with the oats. If the mixture seems really dry, add in a very small splash of water to loosen just enough to mix.

Dump mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and evenly disperse the mixture. Give it a kind of smoosh to compact the oats and to make sure all its all the same thickness on the pan.

Stick into oven for 20 minutes. Remove and give granola a little toss, maybe breaking apart any really big chunks (unless you like really big chunks) and put back into oven for another 20 minutes. (30 for a crunchier granola) Remove from oven and let cool on  baking sheet before storing in an air tight container. If you find that it is not as crunchy as you would like or is a few days old and lost some of its crunchiness, just stick it back into the oven for a few minutes to re crunch.

Eat as is, as a cold cereal,  dip in peanut butter, add to popcorn or whatever way you want to eat it. No utensil required.

Tarragon Butternut Squash and Onions

I know that it it spring, but I still have a winter farm share for another month and will be cooking and eating roots and squash until the summer share starts in early June. And I am good with that cause I love me some root veggies and butternut squash.  But, yes, it is spring and my body isn't craving the super hearty, rich foods that it was just a few short weeks ago (more like last week) When the temperatures first start to go up, I usually want my food to not feel as heavy or my spices to be quite at warming (I am still all over curries and hot hot hot sauces in the summer). It's like I have said before, I tend to change up my spices with the seasons.  

So to give a lighter feel to a heartier squash, I busted out one of my favorite spices, the oh so lovely tarragon. It has a sweet, light, fruity and floral taste that pairs beautifully with the squash and onions. It give the dish a nice spring like flavor that will leave you feeling satisfied without wanting to move directly onto the couch and hide under a blanket. This is a eat and ride you bike kind of dish ( you don't actually have to go for a bike ride if you don't want to)

Note. If I had a grill, I would definitely cook this dish on it. As of now, I don't own one so I am left to cook on the stove. But by all means, if you have a grill, do it up!

Half of a medium sized butternut squash (or use a whole one.. I had a half in the fridge that was waiting to be cooked)  and one whole onion (two if you use a whole squash)  Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt , pepper, garlic powder, and, last but not least, the oh so fragrant and tasty, tarragon. 

Chop the onion  and the squash into big chunks. If you don't like the skin of the squash, you can peel it, but I like it so I don't peel. Drizzle olive oil in a pan or a baking sheet, toss the veggies in and add the garlic powder, tarragon, salt and pepper and a few splashes of apple cider vinegar. Toss around. Stick into oven at 425 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. When the squash is tender and the onions are cooked, remove from oven.  

I am pretty sure you can figure out the rest.

Happy day!

-C

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Tarragon Butternut and Onions

• Half of Medium Butternut Squash
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Tarragon (use fresh if you have it.. 2 tablespoons)
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• Salt ans Pepper
• Olive Oil

Chop squash and onions into similar size pieces. Toss in a skillet or on a oiled baking sheet and add the rest of the ingredients. Toss around and place into a 425 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender.  

Remove from oven and eat.

 Make as a side dish or add to a salad. Eat as a light lunch, or a midnight snack… eat it however you want.