THE LOVELY CRAZY
The thing with having an abundance of squash in the house, and having the abundance keep growing (we get a lot of squashes at farm share) is that I need to cook just about every meal with said abundance, which I am totally on happy to do. I welcome all the squash. I am excited about all the squash. I could eat al the squash all day, everyday. And I do. But that is me. The mr and the others the I sometimes cook for, they are not as squash crazy as me and get sick of plain old roasted squash so I am trying to change it up and make new and interesting things out of the squash so no one gets bored with it.
Yes, I know stuffing an acorn squash is hardly a new idea, but this squash is not stuffed with the usual rice and stuff, it stuffed with lots of black beans and cumin and chili powder spiced cauliflower (and a few other things). The combination of all the flavors with the acorn squash really hit all the right spots for a tasty, not boring squash meal. It is a brilliant combination of flavors that even the not so keen on squash person will love.
That is my opinion of course but it will be your opinion too after you make and eat these. We will brilliant together.
To the stuffed squash.
The stuff. An acorn squash, some cauliflower, cooked black beans, an onion, and a few kale leaves. Also need some cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. salsa, and olive oil.
Start by cutting the squash in half and scooping out all the seeds.
Place the squash open side down on a baking sheet or in a skillet lightly oiled and then stick into a hot oven to roast.
After the squash goes in, dice up the onion and cauliflower into small little pieces.
Place the chopped stuff onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Get that into the oven too.
Roasted, and ready. Stop, do not eat it all, but you might want too, it is so freaking good.
And once this guy in fork tender, its ready as well.
Scoop out a bit of the cooked squash from each side making the well bigger. More room to stuff.
Get everything together. Chop the kale, grab a bowl.
The black beans, salsa, scooped out cooked squash go into bowl. Add in the roasted cauliflower and onion and the chopped kale and mix.
Now stuff each side. Get as much in as you can, mound it as high as you can and place back into oven to bake for a little bit longer.
Cooked and slightly crispy in all the right ways.
These stuffed suckers are everything we all wanted and didn%u2019t know we needed. Fantastic, and all the more when serves with extra salsa, sliced avocado, and a wedge of lime.
Go get at it.
Bye!
-C
Makes 2 stuffed halves. This recipe is very easy to fiddle with and can easily be double or tripled.
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1 medium sized acorn squash
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1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
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1/4 head of cauliflower (about 2 cups chopped before roasting)
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a small onion
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a few kale leaves
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1/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
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2 teaspoons cumin
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1 teaspoon chili pepper
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salt and pepper
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olive oil
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Avocado, lime, extra salsa (optional)
Preheat oven to 400
Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out all the seeds. (seeds can be roasted). Place both halves cut side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet or oven safe skillet and place in oven to roast for about 30-35 minutes or until the squash is fork tender.
Once squash is in oven, dice the onion and cauliflower into small pieces and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss together with the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Place into oven along with the squash. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is lightly browned and tender.
When the cauliflower is roasted and squash is cooked, get all the rest of the ingredients ready. Dice up the kale . Take each side of squash and scoop out about an inch more of cooked squash, leaving a good sized well. Place cooked squash into a bowl and kind of mash it up. Add in the beans, the salsa, the kale, and the roasted cauliflower and onions. Season with salt and pepper and mix it all up. Take filling and fill the squashes, stuffing as much as you can in and mounding it on top. Place the halves back onto baking sheet or skillet and place back into oven for 10-15 minutes until nice and browned and slightly crispy on top. Pull from oven and serve. Although not necessary, extra salsa, avocado, a lime are much appreciated.
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%u2026 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.%u00a0
So last night I noodled some butternut for the mr. And win.. he really liked them,%u00a0%u00a0even with a shit ton of caramelized onions. (I loved the onions, he has never been a huge onion fan but still really like them) %u00a0Ever 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!%u00a0.
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,%u00a0and 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 %u00a0around, 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,%u00a0add in the sage (but mince it first).%u00a0Keep the pot on low heat without the lid.
While the sage and onions are melding together,%u00a0turn 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. %u00a0So yeah, cut the bottom part of the squash off and use the neck%u2026 and save the rest for soup tomorrow.
Note%u2026 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.%u00a0
After the sage has had a few %u00a0minutes 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 %u00a0the 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.%u00a0
Like so.%u00a0
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..%u00a0Or better yet, just eat it out of the pot with the wooden spoon %u00a0that may or may not have fallen on the floor. (my preferred method of eating)
Have a fantastic Day!
-C
Make 2 Servings%u00a0
- 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%u00a0
Take onions and slice them as thinly as you can and mince up the garlic.%u00a0Place 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,%u00a0almost 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.%u00a0
Now grab you squash and turn in into noodles.(%u00a0I cut the bottom part off (for soup tomorrow) and use the neck of the squash).%u00a0You 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)%u00a0so they cook at the same time. %u00a0Noodle about 5- 6 handfuls or cups of noodles.%u00a0
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 %u00a0around 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) %u00a0If 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,%u00a0%u00a0and get to eating!!!!!
Had some littles over for dinner halloween dinner the other night %u00a0and I made them some mac n’ cheese.
Kinda, cause it wasn’t really cheese. Let me explain.%u00a0
These particular littles are tough. Getting them to eat things that are not pizza, hot dogs,%u00a0or some other crap is not always easy.(although they will always eat carrots)%u00a0So whenever they come over, I try to feed them a healthier version of something that I know that they like, %u00a0like tofu dogs or homemade whole wheat pizzas. So this night, I though I would give my vegan mac and cheese and try.%u00a0%u00a0I mean,what kid doesn’t like it? But what kind is the question. If you ask them, its got to be boxed Kraft mac and cheese.%u00a0I knew when I was making it that there was a great chance that I might have to make peanut butter banana sandwiches as well, but whatever These little littles need to stop being such picky crappy eaters and yeah. Even if that means I make them eat what why don’t like or that on the ride home I tell them that any pizza that is not home made will probably end up killing them)%u00a0So I try, and sometimes it works.%u00a0
So I made it, no cheese in sight and served it up.%u00a0The verdict…. The mr, he loved it. My sister (she came too) she was into it as well. One little ate almost an entire bowl, and the other, well he spit it out,%u00a0but he is more a hot dog guy then a mac and cheese guy so his opinion doesn’t count. So to conclude,%u00a0yes, this is a fantasic mac and cheese that just happened to be cheese less,%u00a0%u00a0full of veggies, and damn tasty!
And serving suggestion DON”T LET THE LITTLE KNOW IT”S NOT REAL CHEESE!!! They don’t need to know
To the mac!
The stuff. A small butternut squash, a potato, an onion, and a carrot. Also needed is nutritional yeast (the cheeze), garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper, and some water. And pasta.. don’t forget the pasta.%u00a0
Start with the onion and carrot in a big pot with some oil. Stick that on the stove and turn on the heat, and when that’s going, chop up the butternut sqauh and the potato and toss that into the pot too. Let the stuff cook for just a few minutes.
Pour in water (enough o submerge all the veggies) %u00a0and add in the garlic powder and some salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil then turn heat down to medium and stick a lid on the pot.
Now is a good time to boil up your pasta situation (cook it the way the package says too)
When it’s done, strain it. And if it happens that it is done a little before the sauce, it’s cool, just drizzle it with a little oil so that the noodles don’t all stick together and set aside.
Back to the sauce. Once the pot of veggies is all tender and falling apart, take it off the stove.
And blend the crap out of it with your blending method of choice (a hand o a regular blender)
Oh, and mix in the nutrioanl yeast (can add it in at the blending stage%u2026 I just forgot too) and season with any more salt and pepper if needed.
Grap the cooked noodles,%u00a0dump them into the sauce and give a good mix.
Scoop into food eating vessels,(handled coffee mugs are great for the littles.. and cute)%u00a0Maybe sprinkle on some chopped green stuff(my people enjoyed the addition of chopped up kale) and serve right away!
Now you can eat all the mac n cheeze.%u00a0
Happy Thursday!
-C
Serve 6 or so people
- 1 lb macaroni noodles (any kind you like. vegan, gluten free, whole wheat)%u00a0
- half a small butternut squash (about 2 1/2 ish cups chopped)
- 1 medium white potato
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 large carrot
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
- water
Chop up the onion and the carrot and stick into a large heavy bottom pot with a splash or two of olive oil and stick on the stove on medium heat.%u00a0While that’s %u00a0going on, chop up the butternut and potato into reasonable small chunks and toss that into the pot with the other stuff. Add in the garlic powder, season well with salt and pepper, and add enough water to full submerge the contents of the pot. Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to medium and stick a cover on the pot.
While the veggies are boiling, boil the pasta up, slightly al denta (follow what the pasta people on the package tells you to do)
Once all the veggies in the pot are super tender, even falling apart (about 20 minutes) remove pot from heat and using your blending method of choice (hand or normal blender)%u00a0%u00a0blend everything together until smooth and creamy and then add in the nutritional yeast. Taste and if you think it needs it, add more salt and %u00a0pepper.%u00a0If you find that the sauce seems to thick, add in a splash or two of water.. to thin, stick back on stove and cook long to reduce.%u00a0
So you got you cooked pasta and you sauce. Mix it all together. And wa la%u2026 Mac N’ Cheeze
serve right away and eat it all. But any left overs can be refrigerated. Tastes great %u00a0the next day warmed in a skillet with a little oil.%u00a0
I have so so so many winter squash. It’s getting kind of out of hand. The mr is even making me a couple of wall shelves specifically for the squash so we can get our table back (it is currently covered in squash and tomatoes).%u00a0I hoard them and I can’t exactly tell you why. I think there is a part of me that is afraid that sometime durning the winter I am going to ran out of squash and am going to be forced to eat, I don’t know, other food. And there also the part of me that knows that I will eat it all and why the hell not hoard them.. they are so pretty and lovely and%u2026..well because I can!%u00a0When I sit here and think about it, %u00a0there is no real logical reason for me to have so many, especially sense I will be doing a winter farm share and we get squash at each pick up all winter long.%u00a0
Hum%u2026.Things to think about..Oh well. I’ll just call it a little werido quork of mine%u2026 squash hoarder, which is much better then a trash hoarder or a “stupid shit I found on the side of the road” %u00a0hoarder (that would be the mr.. but I don’t judge).
So yeah, %u00a0I might need a squash intervention, or I can just make everyone around me happy by baking them sweet ass squash treats. I have shared and I always like to share my squash loot (see, another resin to have so many)%u00a0but I found that most of the people in my life do not have the same kind of hunger for savory cooked squash.(weirdos) But you know what they do like? Cake Everyone will eat cake.
And for this cake I used delicata. It is really sweet,(I think all on its own it taste like a sweet dessert)%u00a0so tasty, and easy to cook, The perfect squash for a cake. Add in the warm fall spices and you got yourself a winner. And bonus.. if you have heard that there is a canned pumpkin shortage this year and are are worried about you pumpkin fix. Stop. You don’t need canned pumpkin. Just make your own puree and make it with all the squashes, especially delicata.%u00a0
Now go bake a cake.. I will probably make another one this weekend while I start on eating/baking with the sweet dumplings and buttercups that are piled on the fridge (seriously.. I have squash EVERYWHERE!)
The stuff. In the big white bowl there is white whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then we have some brown sugar, oil, water with some vinegar and a already baked delicata squash. Also going to need another uncooked squash, earth balance and a little more brown sugar for the upside down part.
First off, grab yourself 10-12 inch skillet, preferably one that you have not just cooked garlic in.%u00a0
Slice up the uncooked delicata into 1/2 inch slices and remove the seeds (to roast later)
Stick the earth balance and the lesser amount of brown sugar into the skillet and place it on low heat, just to melt the butter and sugar down to form a sauce.
Now layer the squash rounds in the sauce. Fill in the skillet as much as you can. (%u00a0any left over can be for %u00a0cooked for lunch)
The already baked delicata squash (minus the seed and skin.. save the seeds to roast, skin you eat right away) goes into a bowl with the brown sugar and oil. Mix it all together until combined.%u00a0
Note.. My squash was still warm when I mixed it with the sugar and oil. which really helped the sugar resolve and for the mixture to be smooth. If you squash is cold,%u00a0warm it up a bit..
Whisk together all the dry and dump in the squash mixture and mix.
And slowly pour in the water/ vinegar mixture and mix until just incorporated.
Now slowly pour batter over the delicata in the skillet.
And into the oven it goes!
After 45-50 minutes, the cake should be browned and beautiful and a tester should come out clean when stuck in the middle. Remove the cake and place on cooling rack for about 8-10 minutes to cool. Don’t get to excited and do it to soon or else the caramelization on the bottom will still be too liquid and completely soak into cake. Giving it a few minutes will let it cool enough to set up and stick to the top%u2026.so just wait!
And for the best and scary part%u2026flip the skillet onto a plate or cutting board and be amazed. oh, but right before you do, run a spatula or knife around the edge to make sure the cake is loose.
It really should have no problem coming out of the skillet, but if any of the squash sticks (one piece of mine did) just scrap it out and place it back on the cake%u2026 no one will notice)
Now time for a slice%u2026 or maybe two!
And for reals, go get yourself lots of squash, even if it’s just to make cakes with!
Have a fantastic weekend!
-C
Makes a 12 inch skillet cake (can be made in a can pan)
For the cake
- 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat pastry flour (can use white pastry, wheat pastry, or all purpose)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup warm delicata squash puree*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup mild flavored oil (canola or veggie)
- 1 cup water%u00a0
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vineagr
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg%u00a0
For the upside down part
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons earth balance]
- 1 small uncooked delicata squash%u00a0
*Note.. To make delicata puree, simply stick the whole squash into the oven and roast until fork tender. Remove and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half, scoop to the seeds and scoop the flesh into a bowl%u2026.thats it. Oh, save seeds to roast and eat the skin as a snack (skin is my favorite part and the seeds are almost better then pumpkin!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.%u00a0
Grab yourself a 10-12 inch clean cast iron skillet (maybe don’t cook garlic in it before you make this cake). Stick the earth balance and the brown sugar in it and place on low heat until the butter and sugar melt together and form a sauce. Remove pan from heat. Take the raw delicata squash and slice it into 1/2 inch rounds. Remove the seeds(save for roasting) and place the rounds into the bottom of the skillet, fitting in as many as you can, without overlapping. Set aside and make cake batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder and the cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine the cooked warm squashwith the oil and the brown sugar. (if you squash puree is cold, warm it up. It mixes better warm)%u00a0Mix until completely combined. Dump wet into dry and whack together then slowly pour in water/ vinegar mixture and whack until everything is full incorporated.%u00a0
Pour cake batter over the stuff in the skillet and place into the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes , until a nice golden brown and tester in middle comes out clean. Remove and place on a cooling rack or ontop of the oven to cool for 8-10 minutes. Once %u00a0cooled, take a plate, cooling rack, or cutting board that is a least a little bigger therm the skillet, place it ontop pif the killet, and flip. The cake should drop right out%u2026. if anything sticks in the skillet, trust scrap it off and stick it back on the cake.
Now the cake is ready to eat.. so grab a knife, cut a slice and do it.
Chomp Chomp Chomp%u2026 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.%u00a0 I eat a lot of crunchy stuff. And I am pretty sure I annoy the mister a lot.%u00a0
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.%u00a0
This granola fits the bill perfectly. Made with 5 ingredients, no oil, and the perfect sweetness level. %u00a0It’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 %u00a0cut 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.%u00a0
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 %u00a0people.
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.%u00a0
Grab a bowl, stick the rest into a jar with a lid, hide it from others, and chomp chomp chomp away!
-C
Banana Butternut Granola
- 3 cups old fashion oats (use gluten free oats if needed)
- 1 ripe banana, mashed%u00a0
- 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%u00a0seems 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 %u00a0baking sheet before storing in an air%u00a0tight 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, %u00a0dip in peanut butter, add to popcorn or whatever way you want to eat it. No utensil required.
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.%u00a0 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. %u00a0
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) %u00a0and one whole onion (two if you use a whole squash) %u00a0Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt , pepper, garlic powder, and, last but not least, the oh so fragrant and tasty, tarragon.%u00a0
Chop the onion %u00a0and 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.%u00a0
When the squash is tender and the onions are cooked, remove from oven.%u00a0%u00a0
I am pretty sure you can figure out the rest.
Happy day!
-C
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. %u00a0
Remove from oven and eat.
%u00a0Make as a side dish or add to a salad. Eat as a light lunch, or a midnight snack%u2026 eat it however you want.
Lets kick the weekend off right, with a nice warm and hardy salad. Not a frilly little salad, but a salad that fills you up and leaves you feeling warm and cozy. %u00a0 A salad with a lot of squash! So here’s the thing, I eat a lot of winter squash, maybe 4 plus a week. Because I eat so many, I store a good amount in a cold storage area outside of the little warm living space we call home. Last week we had a drastic temperature change and %u00a0a good few of the my butternut and spaghetti squash froze.. then started to de-thaw. Not good. That was the second bad food experience of the day%u2026.. Earlier that day I had bought about 2 dozen super ripe bananas that I had been planing on freezing and what not. There were four bunches and each bunch was wrapped in plastic and were in a bag that I left near the back door. The thought crossed my mind, but I hastily brushed it away. Washer won’t eat those%u2026.. Well guess what? The shit ate half of my freaking bananas%u2026plastic and all. Needless to say, I was kind of pissed already so finding my squash on the way out really set me off. I was not about to let more food go to waste.(or be eaten by the dog) I went into rescue mode..Chop chop and dice%u2026boil, roast and steam%u2026and eat eat eat%u2026. and eat. I have been eating butternut for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past week and that’s ok with me cause man it does taste oh so tasty. But for some people in my life, eating mashed squash out of a jar all day long does not hold the same appeal so I have been sneaking it in where ere I can. %u00a0
So some of that diced squash tuned into this lovely warm salad. Even the mister liked it and he is not a fan of warm salads(he says he is not, but I think he actually is, as long as I don’t call them “salads”) Any who%u2026This salad hits all the marks%u2026. Fantastically filling, super delicious, fast and healthy. %u00a0Check, check, and check! I am so good.%u00a0
Easy peasy%u2026.
Diced butternut squash, half a vilalia onion, %u00a0prepared lentils and a bunch of kale%u2026 Nothin else.(salt and pepper, but they don’t count)
Diced butternut and a mediumly sliced onion..(mediumly is a new cooking term) Spritz a bit of oil in a pan and toss the squash and onion in there and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shove into the hot oven and roast until squash and onion are tender and tasty.
Remove the pan from the oven and toss in finely chopped kale and a big scoop of lentil%u2026 Mix it up and let the sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026it will make the kale get soft and warm.
Plate it and eat eat%u2026 I drizzled a little balsamic vinegar on mine%u2026Nick like his straight up. Do what you will cause either way, it’s going to be awesome!!!!
Hooray for Friday and for winter squash!!!!
-C
Warm Winter Salad
Ingredients (This made one good sized salad%u2026and exact measurements were not used so feel free to add greater or lesser amounts of any of the ingredients)
- 1 1/2 cup Diced Butternut squash
- 1/2 Vidalia Onion(or any variety you like)
- 3-4 large Kale leaves
- 1/2 cup Precooked Lentils
- salt and pepper to taste
- Balsamic Vinegar%u00a0
- drizzle of oil for pan
In a 425 degree oven, %u00a0place diced squash and sliced onions in a slightly oiled pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes until tender. Remove pan from oven and toss in chopped kale and lentils and let sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026 Plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
I eat a lot of winter squash. I go through 3-4 a week. And with all the squash comes the seeds. I know most people roast their pumpkin seeds but forget about the squash seeds. They are equally amazing and should not be forgotten. What I do is I scoop the seeds into a container that I %u00a0keep in the fridge. When I have collected a few squashes worth, I boil them to help remove the fleshy parts, then give them a quick rinse. Toss in olive oil and salt and get on to roasting!
The perfect snack! You can add these to anything from salads to soups, or grind them into pie dough(its going to happen) If you are feeling like a change of pace, you can add some more flavor by adding spices. Cumin, garlic powder, maybe cinnamon and sugar%u2026.. The possibilities are endless.
Ingredients
- Between 1/2 and 1 cup seeds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place seeds in a pot of water and bring to a boil. After a few minutes at a rolling boil, strain seeds. Most of the goo should have come lose. Give seeds a quick rinse
In bowl, toss together seeds, olive oil and salt. If using the greater amount of seeds, add a bit more oil.. Evenly spread seeds on a baking sheet or cast iron pan and pace in oven. Cook until toasted, about 10 to 12 minutes.
I love mustard, and when I say love, I mean LOVE. I eat it on anything and everything. And not just small quaintites, I buy jumbo sized containers of the stuff because I go through it so fast. Over the past few years I even started taking down others with my mustard eating obsession. Sisters, brothers, even some of the littles are now mustard eating feens. One of my little nieces is now just as bad as me. I don’t think I have seen her eat a single meal without a side of mustard. Her favorite snack, clementines and mustard, although sometimes she skips the clementines and just goes in with her fingers. Oh so good. I think that child could possible be mine. And yes, it’s mostly the yellow grocery store variety of mustard being consumed, but yellow mustard is just the tip of the ice berg. There is a whole world of flavors, textures and colors when it comes to the humble mustard seed. Whole grain mustard, to me, is one of the best and easiest to adapt to any persons specific taste. You can make it plan or add in just about any spice, vinegar, even a little sweetness that you might like. One of my favorite variations of this mustard is to skip the vinegar and use picked jalapeño juice. Aah, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Yellow mustard seeds, brown mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar and salt. The most basic ingredients.
In a large jar, combine the mustard seed , twice as much vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cover and let sit for on the counter overnight until the seeds have soften and look almost like caviar. 
Now blend those seeds. You might want to add another splash or two of vinegar to help blend and to thin out a bit. Chose how creamy or seeded you like you mustard. I like to make it creamy but seedy so I blend it half way to creamy.
You have got mustard! Make sure you have a good snack ready to eat with it.. My go to is carrots. I could eat this all day long. 
Another week in the Siberian Express (and another catchy name for weather) %u00a0The lake is completely frozen over and the snow piles are getting bigger then ever%u2026 We are in the dead of the winter, which means it an only get better from here.
This little is rocking out to some sweet tunes%u2026.We started out listening to Beck and ended up listening to Elmo. I guess that happens sometimes.%u00a0
Can I buy then all? I am a plant hoarder%u2026 and can never get enough. I took this picture, walked away to contemplate about weather or not to buy the purple one, went back and someone else had grabbed it. Bummer,%u2026So instead I bought some fresh daffodils, YAY!
%u00a0Romanesco. A cross between cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and a space ship. %u00a0Pretty Pretty!
Of things to come!!!%u00a0
Weird week. I feel like I have been so busy, but can’t quite figure out with what. I guess winter can do that to you, you know, when leaving the house kind of feels like a chore. Yup, it’s mid February when its cold, windy, snowy, and kind of mah. But it’s cool cause I feel like it’s all down hill from now. Soon we will be looking at an extra hour of daylight and hopefully some above freezing temps! (I think we have had a record amount of days below freezing here in VT) No, I am not complaining, just looking forward to getting out of hibernation.
It was farm share week and yes, that’s a kohlrabi bulb. And no,%u00a0I%u00a0have never in my life seen a kohlrabi as big as this one. It is for real bigger then my head. %u00a0If I didn’t know my farm was organic, I would think that they were growing these in toxic sludge. Wondering what I am going to do with it? Come back this week and see.
Oh my love%u2026 A few days ago I had my super comfy warm rag wool mittens stolen from me at the gym. I know, I was so pissed, but hopefully whom ever stole them is getting good use out of them. Anyway, to my Valentines Day surprise, the mister got me a new pair and sewed a heart into the palm of one. So freaking cute right!
%u00a0I like to take a look back at old pictures when I am feeling the crazy.. This one makes me think of summer and our honey bees. (That’s the mister digging into the top bar hive)
%u00a0The blue sky! And oh man am I craving some traveling. I think this was taken somewhere is Colorado. I want to go back.
When something goes on sale at the grocery store, I tend to buy it. Being that it is Valentines Day this week, all the stores are having specials on all sorts of sexy things%u2026 and strawberries are one of them.%u00a0 Now I am not a huge fan of buying produce that is terribly out of season, but I can’t help myself%u2026a good deal is a good deal and the strawberries were a super good deal. I was just going to make some sweet ass strawberry jam or maybe a lovely strawberry cake with them (and I probably still will), but these strawberries are actually super juicy and full of flavor, and it’s always nice to eat some full flavor freshy strawberries%u2026 especially soaked in balsamic vinegar. %u00a0And yeah, %u00a0I think that this salad is pretty sexy, so it makes for a perfect Valentines day dish.
A handful of ingredients and 5 minutes will get you to a fantastic salad experience.
Pour the vinegar on the strawberries and let sit for at least 5 minutes. (the longer the strawberries can sit with the vinegar, the better)
%u00a0
Pile it on.. %u00a0thinly slice avocado.. rough chopped toasted almonds%u2026 It’s pretty much as easy as it can get.
And last but not least, toss on the balsamic soaked strawberries and drizzle the remaining vinegar. (if you made hearts, place on top to make pretty) Sprinkle with a pitch of salt and pepper and pow! Fancy, sexy, delicious salad.
For the past few days I have heard more complaining then happy. The biggest complaint%u2026tummy issues. %u00a0A week of gorging on heavy, rich, and indulgent foods is finally catching up with people, turning them into grump asses. I can handle a little grump, %u00a0but its time to get get out of that funk and take care and stop bitching. May I make a suggestion? Eat this%u2026 You will be happy. %u00a0Your body will feel clean and nurised. Your tummy will get back on track. %u00a0 It what I call satisfaction This salad is a complete meal .Chopped and shredded veggies atop a small heap of quinoa, tossed on a handful of lentils and topped with a dollop of lime avocado%u2026 Thats it and it is good. For the sake of picture-taking, I made a plate look all nice and pretty, with layers of %u00a0colors, but to be honest with you, I rather toss into a big bowl, grab a moderately large-sized fork and %u00a0food to face%u2026 and it’s just as pretty.(the bowl of food is pretty, not food on my face) Quick note: the vegetables that I used here %u00a0are what I had at home. If you don’t have one or two of these specific veggies, don’t worry about it. Sub in something else, like pepper or spinach., Still have extra brussel sprouts, green beans or asparagus from thanksgiving? Go ahead and use those. If there is a specific veggie you know your stomach doesn’t tolerate well, then maybe avoid using it. This is a happy feel good salad!
A pile of vegetables is always a good start to any meal, especially these veggies.. All but the avocado came from my farm share. This is one %u00a0local organic meal of love.
Green Kale, purple cabbage, beets, red onion, carrots%u2026I did a little shredding and some grating. I like to have different sized and textures in a salad.
Quinoa.. 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water..Bring to a boil and let simmer until light and fluffy. When I make quinoa, I always make more than is going to be eaten, its great to have pre made for any meal. %u00a0Quinoa goes with everything, even a sprinkle of cinnamon and diced up apple for a nice breakfast or snack.%u00a0
Barely steamed kale, just enough to soften it. Again. raw is awesome too. 
Half a lime, half an avocado and a clove or two of garlic… guacamole%u2026Call it what you will.
THE LOVELY CRAZY
January 9, 2020 by maximios • Blog
Had some littles over for dinner halloween dinner the other night %u00a0and I made them some mac n’ cheese.
Kinda, cause it wasn’t really cheese. Let me explain.%u00a0
These particular littles are tough. Getting them to eat things that are not pizza, hot dogs,%u00a0or some other crap is not always easy.(although they will always eat carrots)%u00a0So whenever they come over, I try to feed them a healthier version of something that I know that they like, %u00a0like tofu dogs or homemade whole wheat pizzas. So this night, I though I would give my vegan mac and cheese and try.%u00a0%u00a0I mean,what kid doesn’t like it? But what kind is the question. If you ask them, its got to be boxed Kraft mac and cheese.%u00a0I knew when I was making it that there was a great chance that I might have to make peanut butter banana sandwiches as well, but whatever These little littles need to stop being such picky crappy eaters and yeah. Even if that means I make them eat what why don’t like or that on the ride home I tell them that any pizza that is not home made will probably end up killing them)%u00a0So I try, and sometimes it works.%u00a0
So I made it, no cheese in sight and served it up.%u00a0The verdict…. The mr, he loved it. My sister (she came too) she was into it as well. One little ate almost an entire bowl, and the other, well he spit it out,%u00a0but he is more a hot dog guy then a mac and cheese guy so his opinion doesn’t count. So to conclude,%u00a0yes, this is a fantasic mac and cheese that just happened to be cheese less,%u00a0%u00a0full of veggies, and damn tasty!
And serving suggestion DON”T LET THE LITTLE KNOW IT”S NOT REAL CHEESE!!! They don’t need to know
To the mac!
The stuff. A small butternut squash, a potato, an onion, and a carrot. Also needed is nutritional yeast (the cheeze), garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper, and some water. And pasta.. don’t forget the pasta.%u00a0
Start with the onion and carrot in a big pot with some oil. Stick that on the stove and turn on the heat, and when that’s going, chop up the butternut sqauh and the potato and toss that into the pot too. Let the stuff cook for just a few minutes.
Pour in water (enough o submerge all the veggies) %u00a0and add in the garlic powder and some salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil then turn heat down to medium and stick a lid on the pot.
Now is a good time to boil up your pasta situation (cook it the way the package says too)
When it’s done, strain it. And if it happens that it is done a little before the sauce, it’s cool, just drizzle it with a little oil so that the noodles don’t all stick together and set aside.
Back to the sauce. Once the pot of veggies is all tender and falling apart, take it off the stove.
And blend the crap out of it with your blending method of choice (a hand o a regular blender)
Oh, and mix in the nutrioanl yeast (can add it in at the blending stage%u2026 I just forgot too) and season with any more salt and pepper if needed.
Grap the cooked noodles,%u00a0dump them into the sauce and give a good mix.
Scoop into food eating vessels,(handled coffee mugs are great for the littles.. and cute)%u00a0Maybe sprinkle on some chopped green stuff(my people enjoyed the addition of chopped up kale) and serve right away!
Now you can eat all the mac n cheeze.%u00a0
Happy Thursday!
-C
Serve 6 or so people
Chop up the onion and the carrot and stick into a large heavy bottom pot with a splash or two of olive oil and stick on the stove on medium heat.%u00a0While that’s %u00a0going on, chop up the butternut and potato into reasonable small chunks and toss that into the pot with the other stuff. Add in the garlic powder, season well with salt and pepper, and add enough water to full submerge the contents of the pot. Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to medium and stick a cover on the pot.
While the veggies are boiling, boil the pasta up, slightly al denta (follow what the pasta people on the package tells you to do)
Once all the veggies in the pot are super tender, even falling apart (about 20 minutes) remove pot from heat and using your blending method of choice (hand or normal blender)%u00a0%u00a0blend everything together until smooth and creamy and then add in the nutritional yeast. Taste and if you think it needs it, add more salt and %u00a0pepper.%u00a0If you find that the sauce seems to thick, add in a splash or two of water.. to thin, stick back on stove and cook long to reduce.%u00a0
So you got you cooked pasta and you sauce. Mix it all together. And wa la%u2026 Mac N’ Cheeze
serve right away and eat it all. But any left overs can be refrigerated. Tastes great %u00a0the next day warmed in a skillet with a little oil.%u00a0
Fall is all up in here!. The air is so nice and crisp and the leaves are changing to the prettiest colors.%u00a0I gots my pumpkins, an abundance of apples and squashes (our table is forverver overflowing with some type of squash) and am wearing all of my favorite sweaters.%u00a0
I am a happy lady here!
And this happy lady just wants to sit on her butt and knit.
But first, dinner. And my thought are. “What to do that doesn’t include doing much of anything (especially dishes) and maybe even has the oven on for a little extra warmth?” See here, I am a thinker. I knew I %u00a0had a single pie dough in the freezer (you should always have a pie dough in the freezer), a table full of the loveliest produce. So this happened. And the mr ate it, and he was all like “Whoa”.%u00a0 And I was like,”yeah dude, I know.”
A Ssuper fall galette.. and I still had time for my knitting and my butt.%u00a0
Like Whoa!
The stuff. A single crust pie dough, a butternut squash, an onion, and a honey crisp apple.(there are 2 shown, but I only needed on1)%u00a0%u00a0Also going to need a tiny bit if olive oil and a pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 375.
Roll your chilled dough out %u00a0on a lightly floured surface and place onto a large baking sheet. Stick it in the fridge to rest for a few minutes.
And slice them up into 1/4 inch-ish thick srounds.
Time to compile%u2026 A layer of overlapping squash. (Make sure to leave inch-ish boarder)%u00a0%u00a0Then a layer of the apples, and lastly the onion, which I think looks so pretty as ringlets, but you could keep in rounds if you wanted.%u00a0
Fold the sides and pinching dough to keep it secure. Drizzle the top, and the crust, with a tiny bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a picnh of salt.
Now into the oven it goes!
And %u00a0after about 45 minutes when the dust is perfectly golden and the stuff inside is nice and tender. Remove (turn off the oven) and let cool
And there you have it.. A ode to fall in flavors and colors..
Have a great day%u2026 Eat lots of fall food!
-C
Preheat oven to 375.
Roll out chilled pie dough %u00a0on a lightly floured surface to about a 12-14 inch round (ish) and place on a large baking sheet and stick in the fridge.
Grab the squash and cut the neck off the bottom.%u00a0Save the bottom for later (maybe soup?)%u00a0and slice up the neck into 1/4 inch thick rounds. %u00a0Now take the onion and apple and slice those into 1/4 inch thick rounds too. (the seeds and the stem will just fall our.. but if they don’t, just poke them out with a knife)
Grab the dough from fridge and start to layer. First a layer of squash, leaving around an 1.5 inch boarder. You want the pieces to overlap,but don’t double layer. Next the apples go on top of the squash, again overlapping. Finally the onion. I liked the look of the individual ringlets%u2026 but you can do thick rounds if you want.%u00a0Fold over the sides of the dough, pinching it in wherever it needs to be pinch until all the stuff is snug. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil %u00a0and rub a little oil on the outside crust as well. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and stick into oven.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until crust is a nice light golden brown and the stuff inside is tender.
Remove, let cool for a few minutes and eat your heart out.
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!
I am pretty sure you can figure out the rest.
Happy day!
-C
Tarragon Butternut and Onions
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. %u00a0
Remove from oven and eat.
%u00a0Make as a side dish or add to a salad. Eat as a light lunch, or a midnight snack%u2026 eat it however you want.
A simple post for the simplest of soups.%u00a0Minimal ingredients, no fuss, fast to make but can be left all day to simmer%u2026%u2026. And oh so very very good.%u00a0
This has been one of my go to soups this winter. Warming, hardy, comforting%u2026.every kind of soft cozy feeling that I need when I can’t leave my house because it’s so cold out that all I want to do is sit on the couch wrapped up in a blanket, with a book, and eat hot soup. (That’s the my plan for the weekend) But it’s also good for any type of weekend activities you might have%u2026 it’t kind of the perfect soup.
Note.. I didn’t add any spices to this batch because I really love the flavor without anything. With that being said, I have made this same soup with sage, rosemary, turmeric, even curry. Almost any flavor works in this soup.%u00a0
When the soup is simmering, thinly slice the shallots and toss into a pan. Saut%u00e9 until soft and fragrant.%u00a0
Soup and a spoon. So simple, so good.
Have a great weekend%u2026..Try and stay warm!
-C
Butternut Broccoli Soup
The Stuff%u00a0
Split squash in half, remove seeds, and dice into chunks. %u00a0Place in big pot. Chop up broccoli and add to pot. (or just add frozen chopped broccoli) Add water until stuff is about half way summered. Place a lid on the pot and cook on medium low heat for about 30 minutes or %u00a0until squash and broccoli are fork tender. Blend together with either a stick blender or place in a blender. Add enough water to keep things moving. Add more water if you want a thinner soup, less for a thicker soup. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Once blended, place back in pot on simmer until ready to serve.%u00a0
When the soup is on simmer, thinly slice the shallots and place in a pan to sautee until soft and fragrant. %u00a0
To serve, ladle soup into bowl, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and top with saut%u00e9ed shallot.
Eat with a spoon
So some of that diced squash tuned into this lovely warm salad. Even the mister liked it and he is not a fan of warm salads(he says he is not, but I think he actually is, as long as I don’t call them “salads”) Any who%u2026This salad hits all the marks%u2026. Fantastically filling, super delicious, fast and healthy. %u00a0Check, check, and check! I am so good.%u00a0
Diced butternut squash, half a vilalia onion, %u00a0prepared lentils and a bunch of kale%u2026 Nothin else.(salt and pepper, but they don’t count)
Remove the pan from the oven and toss in finely chopped kale and a big scoop of lentil%u2026 Mix it up and let the sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026it will make the kale get soft and warm.
Hooray for Friday and for winter squash!!!!
-C
Warm Winter Salad
Ingredients (This made one good sized salad%u2026and exact measurements were not used so feel free to add greater or lesser amounts of any of the ingredients)
In a 425 degree oven, %u00a0place diced squash and sliced onions in a slightly oiled pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes until tender. Remove pan from oven and toss in chopped kale and lentils and let sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026 Plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.