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Dec 11, 2010

butternut squash and quinoa

Has everyone been inundated with winter squash in their CSA, yet? I have. There is only so much squash soup one can enjoy, and there are only so many kinds of squash soup that are enjoyable. At least for my family.

What to do? I felt like the Sorting Hat when it was trying to decide what house to put Harry in.

To add difficulty to hardship, cookbooks don't exactly burst with winter squash recipes.

Here is my take on my Squash of the Week. Incorporating kale, another cold-weather produce item, I roasted the squash and then mashed it up with a little plant milk. Whipping it into a thick puree, I simply seasoned it with a little salt and pepper.

I topped that with steamed kale, sauteed with a little minced garlic and crushed red pepper. For the protein punch, I cooked some quinoa (1 c quinoa, 2 c water, cook 20 minutes) with a little smoked paprika and salt and pepper. I also pan-seared some tofu slices, just simply seasoning them again with salt and pepper, but this is totally optional since the quinoa is a complete protein. Lastly, since butternut squash is sweet, I accented the sweetness with some caramelized onions.

The squash bakes, the quinoa cooks and the onions caramelize in about the same time, 20 minutes, so this is a quick meal. The last thing to do is steam or pan-sear the kale and the tofu, if using it.

Cost Breakdown:

quinoa: $1
kale: $2
tofu: $2
squash: $2
garlic, spices, onion: $1
Total to make 4 servings:
$8.00


4 comments:

  1. I'm so glad to see that I'm not alone in this situation! We also keep getting the same things in our CSA and I find it challenging to come up with fun and exciting dishes to make with the same produce every week. I would actually welcome a butternut squash, since our farm doesn't have those. We've been overrun by turnips! haha

    I came up with a recipe for a vegan cheezy turnip bake that I actually enjoyed. I posted about it on my blog, too.

    Good luck handling all the winter crops!

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  2. Ha! Yes, I have 3 butternut squashes from our CSA (had 5 and used 2 to make gnocchi this week)...and on top of that, I think we're getting more tomorrow! This recipe looks fantastic! I love quinoa, kale and of course, squash. Thanks for the recipe!

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  3. Such presentation! Looks beautiful and delicious!

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  4. I'm checking it out, Mrs. J. Thanks for the turnip idea - I'm sure they are not far behind for me.

    My pleasure, Epicurean. I totally understand the deluge of squash. And soon turnips.

    Thanks, Susan!

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