Archive for Squash

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

October 21, 2009 at 12:46 am · Filed under Salad, Sauces, Dips & Dressings, Side dishes, Squash

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I was in the grocery store, holding a butternut squash, when a stranger told me that I should try making it into Ina Garten’s squash salad. “It’s wonderful,” he said. “Just look it up on the Food Network Web site.” And so I did. Ina, who calls herself the Barefoot Contessa, serves this salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette.

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the Warm Cider Vinaigrette. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Food Network

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Winter Squash and Apple Soup

November 8, 2007 at 7:52 pm · Filed under Fruit, Soups, Squash, Vegan

This soup is one of my favorites. Simple, easy and – especially on a snowy winter day – it makes the whole place smell wonderful.

2 cups butternut, buttercup or other winter squash, peeled, seeded & chopped
2 cups sweet potato, peeled & chopped
3 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored & chopped (Spartan, Macintosh or similar)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups water or just enough to cover apples and veggies
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice or pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Bring the vegetables, apples and water to a boil in a saucepan on high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the seasonings and use a blender to process the mixture. Heat in the saucepan again on low heat until hot. Keeps 3 – 5 days refrigerated. Serves 6.

Notes: “Winter squash” is used to describe hard-shelled varieties that be stored for months; it is distinct from thin-skinned “summer squash” such as zucchini and pattypan. Of course, these days, both types are available year-round. Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice and nutmeg.

I found this recipe on SOAR (The Searchable Online Archive of Recipes), a site that has evolved into RecipeSource.com. The original posting gives credit to Jeanne Marie Martin’s Vegan Delights.

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Noni’s Tuscan Soup

May 24, 2007 at 7:01 pm · Filed under Eggplant, Soups, Squash

Noni says, “I make double batches — last night’s new batch has some celery in it and I used stewed tomatoes instead of whole. Enjoy!”

1 cup water
1 1/4 cups eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 (14 1/2 oz) can no salt added whole tomatoes undrained and chopped
1/2 can diced mushrooms drained (I use fresh)
1 garlic clove minced
3/4 cups zucchini coarsely chopped (I just slice small)
1/2 tsp dried italian seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper (I use more)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the first nine ingredients in a large pan stirring well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook for about 25 minutes until veggies are tender. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

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Corn Lover’s Vegetable Stew

November 9, 2006 at 8:15 am · Filed under Soups, Squash, Stews, Vegan

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups 1-inch cubes peeled winter squash (butternut, acorn, kabocha, buttercup, etc.)
1 (16-ounce) can diced, peeled tomatoes
1 1/4 cups corn kernels or 1 (15-1/4 ounce) can whole corn kernels, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can golden or white hominy
1 red or green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut in 1-inch squares

In a large pot, bring 1/2 cup of the broth to a boil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens (about 5 minutes). Add the squash, tomatoes, corn, thyme, salt, pepper and remaining 2 cups of broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Add the hominy and bell pepper and return to simmer. cover and simmer until the squash and bell pepper are tender when pierced but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Serves 4.

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Orange-Acorn Squash

November 9, 2006 at 4:43 am · Filed under Side dishes, Squash

1 1-pound acorn squash, peeled
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cut acorn squash into 1/2-inch thick slices, discarding seeds. Combine orange juice, brown sugar, and ground nutmeg. Place squash and orange juice mixture in a large skillet. Bring juice to boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 25 minutes or until squash slices are tender.

Yield: 4 servings. Preparation Time: 15 minutes. Cooking Time: 25 minutes.
Calories per serving: 114, Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol, 0 mg, Protein: 1.9 g, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Dietary fiber: no data, Sodium: 8 mg.

From Sarah Schlesinger’s 500 Fat-Free Recipes

October, 1997

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Winter Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing

July 8, 2006 at 4:00 pm · Filed under Rice, Squash

This is beautiful and delicious. You can use it as a main dish for vegans and/or a side dish for omnivores.

Winter Squash (such as Hubbard, Butternut, Buttercup, Acorn or Pumpkin)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water (you can use chicken stock for a non-vegetarian version)
2/3 cup wild rice
1 large red onion, chopped
1 large celery rib, diced
2 medium apples, peeled, seeded, and diced
3 cups whole-grain bread crumbs (about 4 slices)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup apple juice
Light vegetable oil cooking spray

First, prepare the squash. Halve the squash lengthwise with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Place halves, cut side up, in foil-lined shallow baking dishes and cover tightly with more foil. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in a 375 degree oven, or until easily pierced with a knife but still firm. When cool enough to handle, scoop out some of the pulp, leaving a sturdy, 1/2-inch thick shell all around. Save the pulp for another use (the cooked pulp freezes well).

In a small saucepan, bring the stock or water to a simmer. Stir in the wild rice, cover, and simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed, 45 to 55 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium skillet with the vegetable oil cooking spray; sauté the onion and celery over medium heat until golden.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked wild rice, onion-celery mixture, apples, bread crumbs, dried cranberries, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Drizzle apple juice in slowly, stirring all the while, until the mixture is evenly moistened. Stuff into the prepared squash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is slightly crispy. Makes 8 cups.

Adapted from Nava Atlas’ recipe in Veggie Life magazine, November 1997.

Note: The original recipe contained canola oil and walnuts. In this version, I substituted the vegetable oil cooking spray for the canola oil, and the walnuts were eliminated to suit the dietary needs of someone on an extremely low fat diet.

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