Recipe Time: Roasted Acorn Squash with Greens & Beans Quinoa!

Growing up, we received oodles and oodles of fresh summer squash from my grandfather's garden each year. This would have been awesome if I had liked squash, but.... (big surprise) I didn't.

My mother always prepared it in one of two ways - sliced and sauteed OR mushed and mixed in a casserole dish with lots of butter, Saltine crackers and God knows what else. I obviously preferred the latter.

For a long, long time, I actually didn't know that other types of squash even existed! Or that there were other ways to prepare them! So when I received a cute little acorn squash from my CSA last week, I clearly had no idea what to do with it. So I used one of my 'Phone-a-Friends' and dialed up my girl Sarah Kagan over at Beyond the Batter. "She'll know what to do with this thing...", I thought to myself.

And of course, like the culinary genius that she is, Sarah had a great recipe in her back pocket for acorn squash and even better - she proceeded to rush right over and whip up the most fabulous dinner for me and my man. What a gal!

So today, I'm sharing it with you. It's worthy of some blog-time. And who knows... maybe you too have no idea what to do with the damn thing!

Preheat the oven to 375F. While the oven is heating up, cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions.

Slice 1 medium-size acorn squash and empty out the seedy middle (you can even save the seeds and roast them later!)

Now cut the ends off the squash and slice it into 3/4 inch pieces.

Place the squash in a large mixing bowl and coat with 1-2 Tbs. oil of your choice (I recommend coconut oil). 

Lightly sprinkle the mixture with cumin powder and sea salt to taste (and cinnamon - we were forced to use cinnamon sticks because that was all we had on hand but ground cinnamon would be much easier!).

Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until tender (flipping halfway through).

Grab 1 can of white beans and rinse in a strainer until the water runs clear.

In a large mixing bowl, add the beans to the cooked quinoa...

...and mix well! (There's Sarah!).

Now for your dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the juice of 2 lemons, 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil, 1-2 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar, and sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Pour over your quinoa/bean mixture (if you want to add more later, you can! that part's up to you!)

Meanwhile, saute one bag of frozen kale (16 oz.) with 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli (8 oz.) - or use fresh veggies if you have them!

Add them to the quinoa mixture and you're done!

Serve the quinoa atop a few slices of acorn squash and enjoy how the flavors blend together so beautifully! 

If it's even possible, this dish made our little viewing party of HOMELAND that much better! Terrorist plots... mental breakdowns... and yummy acorn squash. Could my night get any better?

Thanks, Sarah!

Oh...and if you'd like to curb a sweet tooth the vegan way, check out Sarah's recipe for her Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! I taste-tested (and approved!) more than a few last night!

Meatless Monday: Roasted Cauliflower with Spiced Lentils & Chard!

BY: AMY HEIGHT, CONTRIBUTOR

Welcome to a beautiful Meatless Monday, everyone!

Today's recipe is one that I include in my 'Ten Day Detox' for folks looking to reset their systems with a clean eating plan, or for those exploring plant-based eating for the first time.

Of all the recipes in the plan, this is one of my favorites. It has a distinctly Indian flavor to it, including sweet spices and a little luxurious coconut milk. As a bonus, it's easy to make a big batch (whether you're feeding a large group or want some seriously simple leftovers for lunches). 

Two meatless meals in one week?! Who are you, plant-based rockstar? Nice work!

The lentils in this dish serve as the 'protein replacement' where meat might otherwise occupy space on the plate. They're high in iron, manganese and folate and conveniently take on the flavor of whatever you coat them in.

You'll also notice that we're using two veggies to complement our lentils - cauliflower and chard. They're different colors and different textures, providing different benefits to the body (that variety I mentioned in Friday's post? Here's one way to do that!). Packed with fiber, phytonutrients (glucosinolates and chlorophyll, respectively, both of which have powerful detoxing and cleansing abilities), and Vitamin C, combining these veggies in a meal is not only filling, but immunity-boosting too!

If you're using precooked lentils, this recipe takes about 35 minutes of prep and cooking time in all. If you're cooking from scratch, plan to start your lentils about an hour before dinnertime. They'll continue to cook while your cauliflower roasts.

Enjoy!

Amy

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH SPICED LENTILS & CHARD

Serves 2-3

1 small head cauliflower, chopped

1 cup cooked lentils (according to package directions OR boil 2/3 cup dry lentils in 2 1/3 cups water for 30-40 minutes until tender)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup coconut milk or coconut oil

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cinnamon

6 cups loosely packed Swiss chard

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Coat cauliflower in oil, spread on baking tray and bake 30 minutes until crispy.

3. In the meantime, combine lentils with spices and coconut milk or oil. Divide into two or three bowls.

4. Steam chard for 3-4 minutes until soft. Divide amongst bowls.

5. Top each bowl with cauliflower and serve.

Amy Height is a Holistic Health Coach and founder of From the Ground Up Wellness. She works with individuals and families looking to reestablish their relationship with food and build a strong foundation of lasting, healthy habits. She specializes in plant-based nutrition, weight loss, nutrition for children and young families, and managing food intolerances. A graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Amy combines a breadth of nutritional training - and the concept of 'food as fuel' - with personal experience to provide motivation and resources to empower personal transformation. She is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Visit her website at www.fromthegroundupwellness.com and check out her 10 Day Detox Program here!