Baked Stuffed Squash
This recipe is written with instructions for one large squash, which is usually enough for two people but it’s easy enough to multiply everything to feed more people. Plus it’s a great way to use leftovers like cooked chicken, roasted vegetables, and rice. The leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for a month, depending on freezing method.
Choose your your squash and fillings such as:
Squash: acorn, delicata, butternut, kabocha, honeynut, carnival, spaghetti or your favorite
Cooked Legumes or grains: wild rice, red or black beans, lentils, quinoa, millet, barley.
Cooked Meat: Roasted chicken, ground turkey, ground sausage, or ground beef.
Sautéed Vegetables: Carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, or bell peppers.
Nuts: Cashews, walnuts, almonds, or pecans.
Fresh or dried herbs: Sage, thyme, parsley, or rosemary.
Spices: Curry, garlic powder, cumin, or chili powder.
Shredded Cheese: Cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, provolone, or feta.
Note: Use about two to three cups of any of the combined main ingredients. Spices are added to desired combination and taste. Use your imagination! Experiment!
Instructions:
Arrange oven rack in the lower-middle position and preheat to 375°F.
Cut your squash choice in half lengthwise.
Scoop out seeds and set aside on your choice of baking tray, ceramic dish, or cast iron skillet.
Rub inside of squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the squash halves cut-side-down in a baking dish. Either place on parchment paper when using a baking pan or add hot water to fill the a baking dish about 1/4 inch up the side of the dish.
Roast the squash until soft and tender, poke with a fork or knife to check. Roughly 45 mins.
While the squash is roasting, prepare the filling.
Combine leftovers from other meals or cook your choice of filling. To speed up baking process, use ingredients that are either room temperature or hot.
Flip the cooked squash halves so they form bowls.
Stuff the squash halves fully to overflowing. Top with cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake in oven again at 375°F until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.
If you want to save the squash bake for another time, let the squash cool before stuffing it with your ingredients, then store.
The leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for a month, depending on freezing method.
One-pot pumpkin yellow curry
(Source: Minimalist Baker)
This hearty, comforting curry recipe makes for a satisfying plant-based, gluten-free fall dinner.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1½ Tbsp coconut oil (or avocado or grape seed oil)
1 medium shallot (minced)
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 small red chili or serrano pepper (stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced)
1 large red bell pepper (thinly sliced lengthwise)
3 Tbsp yellow (or red) Thai curry paste
3½ cups peeled and cubed pumpkin (or butternut squash)
2 (14-ounce) cans light coconut milk (substitute full-fat for extra creamy texture or ½ of the coconut milk for vegetable broth for thinner curry)
2 Tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar (plus more to taste or sub stevia to taste)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 healthy pinch sea salt (about ¼ tsp)
1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub tamari or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup roasted cashews or chickpea (lightly salted or unsalted are best)
Directions
1 Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, shallot, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
2 Add bell pepper and curry paste and stir. Cook for 2 minutes more. Then add pumpkin and stir. Cook for 2 minutes more.
3 Add coconut milk, maple syrup or coconut sugar, turmeric, sea salt, and coconut aminos and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4 Once simmering, slightly reduce heat to low and cover. You want a simmer, not a boil, which should be around low to medium-low heat.
5 Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to soften the pumpkin and infuse it with curry flavor.
6 At this time, also taste and adjust the flavor of the sauce/broth as needed. I added more maple syrup for sweetness, sea salt for saltiness, and a bit more curry paste for a more intense curry flavor. Don’t be shy with seasonings – this curry should be very flavorful.
7 Once the broth is well seasoned and the pumpkin is tender, add broccoli, lemon juice, and cashews and cover. Simmer for 3-4 minutes more over low to medium-low heat.
8 Optional: Scoop out half of the broth/sauce and half of the pumpkin (try to exclude the broccoli) and blend until creamy and smooth in a blender for a thicker, creamier curry. Return to pot and warm for a few minutes before serving.
9 Serve as is or over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. This dish gets elevated with the addition of fresh lemon juice and Thai or regular basil or cilantro for serving.
10 Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Nutritional Facts (1 of 4 servings)
Calories: 423; Carbohydrates: 39.9 g; Protein: 9.1 g; Fat: 29.1 g; Saturated Fat: 13.5 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 459 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 13.7 g
Easy roasted pumpkin seeds
(Source: Inspired Taste)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1½ cups pumpkin seeds
2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for serving
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp your favorite spice blend such as curry powder, harissa, and chili powder (optional)
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 cups of water and season with 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, scoop the seeds from your pumpkin. Add the pumpkin seeds to a bowl filled with cold water and swish them around until the seeds float and are mostly clean.
4. Add cleaned seeds to the boiling salted water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and pull away any remaining pumpkin attached to the seeds.
5. Scatter the seeds onto clean dishcloths and pat them very dry. Mound the dried seeds onto the prepared baking sheet. Add the oil and any spices then toss until well coated. Spread the seeds into one layer. Bake, stirring the seeds at least twice, until fragrant and golden around the edges, 10 to 25 minutes, depending on size of the seeds. Test a seed or 2 to ensure the seeds are dry roasted on the inside.
Nutritional Facts (serving size 2 TBS)
Calories: 105; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrate: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Total Sugars: 0 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg
Avocado and Cucumber Gazpacho
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon (or to taste) apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon, fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water (add more or less for desired thickness)
1 medium size cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped (remove seeds if desired)
1 medium size avocado, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) of cumin powder
1/8 teaspoon (or to taste) black pepper powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt to taste
Steps:
Put cucumber into high-speed blender.
Add water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, avocado, cumin, pepper, sea salt.
Blend well.
Then slowly drizzle in the olive oil last to emulsify the mix.
Test to see if more salt or spice is needed or feel free to add different herbs of choice like basil, dill parsley, or fennel. Mix again if needed.
Lastly, garnish with edible flowers, seasonal vegetables, nuts, or seeds of your choice.
Enjoy!
This recipe can be made as a dip too, just reduce the amount of liquid.
Golden Milk
1 bpa free can of full fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons curry paste
1 or more teaspoons of tumeric powder depending on taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon diced raw ginger root
1/2 tablespoon collagen powder
1/3 cup water
Combine ingredients in small sauce pan and simmer on low for about 15 minutes.
Make sure to stir often.
Remove from heat and pour into your favorite heat safe cup.
Cool to taste and enjoy
slowly so you reap its full benefits.
