Fit for Fall

Fall is the time when a plethora of squash is in season (okay, I do just love the word "plethora", but it's true) and there are so many different ways to use these healthy, fiber-filled vegetable marrows. Here are my latest ideas:

Spaghetti Squash Topped with Marinated Roasted Soy Glazed Tofu and Spinach

How I did it:
1) Roast the spaghetti squash in the oven on low heat until tender (325 degrees for about an hour for a medium sized squash.)
2) While the squash roasts, marinate extra-firm tofu, diced and patted dry with a paper towel, in a soy basil marinade. I used low sodium soy sauce seasoned with red pepper flakes and a tsp. of pesto whisked in with a drizzle of olive oil, and some torn fresh basil.
3) Saute the marinated tofu in a medium-high heat pan until lightly golden brown on the edges, pouring the remaining marinade (saving a tsp.) in the pan to reduce. Remove the tofu to a plate.
4) Add baby spinach to the pan and wilt down, seasoning with freshly ground black pepper. Turn off heat and squeeze lemon juice for a fresh finish.
5) Remove the squash from the oven and cut it open to scoop out the soft, stringy filling and place it all in a large saute pan with a little olive oil and minced garlic. Fluff up the "spaghetti" strings with a fork to achieve a sort of creamy pasta-like texture.
6) Add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce to the "spaghetti" with the last tsp. of soy basil marinade. The soy will work as an umami booster to enhance the savory flavors of the veggies, but the squash will not actually taste like soy. Add some fresh parsley and basil to finish, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7) Top the spaghetti squash with the sauteed spinach with lemon vinaigrette and shaved parmesan. Add the tofu to heat through, and serve. This hearty vegetarian dish will feel like eating a bowl of pasta, but in fact it's all vegetables!

Another autumn vegetarian dinner I made:

Butternut Squash and Kale with Whole Wheat Gnocchi

 

 

 

I made this dish for a nutrient-packed dinner with healthy carbs the night before the annual breast cancer awareness 5K (and followed it with a protein-packed breakfast the next morning and had an excellent race!)



Anniversary Dinner

For our three-year anniversary I decided to make a nice dinner at home, combining rustic and elegant for the perfect celebratory meal. With fall upon us in New England, I went for fresh and local: seared sea scallops with roasted butternut squash, leeks and crispy pancetta.  Here's how I did it:

First, I picked up some Tuscan bread from our neighborhood Clear Flour Bakery. I served it with a couple of options to dip/top the crusty bread with - white bean spread (I pureed cannelini beans with good olive oil, salt, pepper, and mixed in rosemary and red pepper flakes), and tomato "jam" (I roasted cherry tomatoes in the oven with olive oil and salt until wrinkly sweet, mashing them a bit in a bowl to release their juices and topping with a sprinkle of parmesan), and of course good oil.


Next I made dinner:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice and rinse a leek, spreading about half the pieces on a baking pan. Lay peeled and cubed butternut squash on the pan, tossing with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper, and drizzling with good maple syrup and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Bake the squash and leeks until caramelized (with golden brown edges.)
2) Crisp minced pancetta in a pan with about 1 tbsp. olive oil until frothy. Remove the pancetta from the pan and lay on a paper towel to drain the fat.
3) Put the remaining leek pieces into the pan - yes, cooking them in pancetta grease, but only on a special occasion would I do this - and sautee until soft and the white parts translucent. (Add a tbsp. of butter if you're feeling really decadent.) Remove the leaks.
4) Increase the heat and saute the sea scallops in the pan, grating a hint of sea salt so that it forms a golden crust. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine (I used the Pinot Grigio we were drinking with dinner) to loosen up those little bits of pancetta flavor, and cook a few minutes on each side so the scallop edges are just about crusty.
5) Lower the heat and add the pieces of squash to the pan, putting the leeks and pancetta back in, so all the flavors come together. Serve and enjoy!

The Year of Squash

We love squash so much in my kitchen that I realized I've made enough different squash recipes to use a new one each month of the year! Here's the year in squash:

January: winter squash soup with kale and white beans

February: African peanut squash stew

March: spaghetti squash with beets, feta and walnuts

April: gratin with baked butternut squash, leeks, goat cheese, and hazelnuts

May: butternut squash risotto

June: Vegetable Napoleon: summer squash, zucchini, portabella mushrooms, tomato, caramelized onions, on bed of sautéed spinach with saffron jus

July: sauteed yellow squash and zucchini "pasta" / summer squash topped with fresh pesto

August: grilled farmer's market vegetables (squash, onions, portobello mushrooms, etc.)

September: butternut squash bisque

October: Native American kabocha squash soup with black beans

November: Thanksgiving squash casserole (savory with cheesy yellow squash or sweet butternut squash with pecans)

December: roasted winter squash with sage maple glaze

Fun with Butternut Squash

In the spirit of fall, here are some of my favorite butternut squash recipes:

Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 
8 servings 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

1 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 sage leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and roughly diced

3 cups peeled and roughly diced apples

2 teaspoons Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

Sea salt, Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and cook until it turns nut brown. Add the onion and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly to release its fragrance, add sage, 1 teaspoon of the salt and season with pepper, to taste.

Add the squash and apples, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Toasted Spice Rub and cook briefly to toast it, about 1 minute.

Add the broth-water mixture, bring to a simmer, and partially cover. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the squash and apples are tender, about 40 minutes.

Transfer in batches to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to the pot, reheat to serving temperature, and season with salt.

Divide the soup among warmed bowls and garnish each portion with some walnuts, parmesan, green onions. Serve immediately.

Toasted Spice Rub:

1/4 cup fennel seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup pure California chili powder (about 1-ounce)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

In a small heavy pan over medium heat, combine the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.

 

Butternut Squash with Apples and Maple Syrup

This is a lovely side dish with roasted pork, braised chicken thighs, or lamb: the sweetness of the vegetables complements the rich flavors of the meat.... and it’s super easy to make! Leftovers reheat well.

½ c fresh parsley
4 large shallots
1 large leek, incl. green parts
1 medium butternut squash, peeled
1/4 c unsalted butter
1 Mutsu or Granny Smith apple, peeled
1 ½ T maple syrup
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mince parsley and set aside. Mince shallots. Quarter leek lengthwise, wash well, and slice thinly. Quarter squash and cut into ½-inch slices. Peel and quarter apple, slice thinly.
Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, saute shallots and leek for a minute or so, till beginning to soften. Add sliced squash and stir; cover skillet and cook until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Add apple, maple syrup, and nutmeg to skillet, season with salt and pepper. Toss lightly to combine and cook, stirring now and then, until apples have softened slightly.
Stir in parsley, adjust seasoning, and serve.