RECIPE: Roasted Acorn Squash with Pecans

Along with the Almond Crusted Chicken, I prepared acorn squash a little differently from how I prepared it a couple of weeks ago. I love honey. I love ginger. I love pecans. This combination seemed like a perfect compliment for an acorn squash.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Pecans
INGREDIENTS:
1 Acorn squash
2 tablespoons Coconut oil (or butter)
2 tablespoons pure Maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh grated Ginger
2 tablespoons chopped Pecans
Sea Salt

 DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash acorn squash and cut it in half from stem to end. Scrape out the seeds and stringy stuff.
3. Place halves in an oven safe baking dish. I prefer to use two small Karhai woks.
4. Put coconut oil (or butter), grated ginger, maple syrup, and a sprinkle of sea salt in the cavity of each squash half.
4. Bake for approximately 1 1/4 hours. At the one hour mark, add the chopped pecan pieces to the mixture in the cavities of the squash. Check tenderness. A fork should easily pierce through the pulp of the squash.
(Baking time can be cut to approximately 20 minutes by following the easy steps listed below.)

***NOTE*** I needed for these squash to be ready sooner, so I took a shortcut that worked very well. Before I put them in the oven I put them in a baking dish with an inch of water in it, then put them in the microwave for 10 minutes. I took them out of the microwave safe dish, put them in the small stainless steel woks and put them in the oven for 10 minutes, then added the pecans and baked for 10 more minutes.

RECIPE: Roasted Butternut Squash

So I had about 2/3 of a butternut squash left after making the lasagna on Saturday and my Paleo project includes trying new recipes with foods and finding secondary uses for left overs. I found an interesting recipe that included a few items I didn't have, so I improvised. (Me? Alter? Improvise? Yep!!)
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 of a butternut squash - peeled, seeded and cut into bite sized cubes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon agave

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the butternut squash and remove seeds.
3. Slice, then cut into bite sized cubes.
4. In a seal-able plastic bag, mix olive oil, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, thyme, and agave. Pour in squash, seal, and shake. This can be done in a bowl, as well. I used the bag because I had stored the leftover squash in it.
5. Place well coated squash cubes on a baking tray in a single layer.

6. Place on rack in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until pieces are tender.

YUM!

RECIPE: Butternut Squash Lasagna

I am always looking for new foods and recipes to try. I am enjoying making delicious dishes from foods I have never tried. Today I wen to Trader Joe's with no particular grocery list. I came home with several vegetables and some Italian sausage. I figured I'd just wing it, but then I came across a recipe for lasagna using butternut squash and Italian sausage! I decided to give it a try, but with my usual modifications and alterations to suit my taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (or fresh)
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• A couple of leaves of fresh basil (leave it out if you don’t have it, just freshens up the sauce a bit)
• 1 teaspoon Wildtree Spaghetti Seasoning
• 1 small butternut squash

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat your oven to 400ºF. 

2. In a saute pan crumble the sausage and brown it, along with the onions & garlic. 

3. Prepare the squash by cutting the top and ends of the squash off and peel it. Split it into quarters. First in half around the center, then from stem to bottom. This will make it much easier to cut into slices. Pull out the seeds. Cut into slices to layer in the lasagna.

4. Make the sauce by pureeing the tomatoes, red peppers, olive oil, basil and spaghetti seasoning. I'll post directions for roasting a pepper using a gas stove at the end of this recipe.

Before:

 After:

5. Using a 9X9 oven safe baking dish, put down enough sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the dish. (This keeps the squash from sticking to the pan.) Next add the squash, trying not to overlap the pieces, then spoon on the sausage mixture, followed by the sauce. Repeat until all your ingredients are used up. Reserve enough sauce to cover the top of the lasagna.

6. Bake for 45 minutes. The wonderful aroma that will fill your kitchen will have your mouth watering with anticipation. As you can see, that's a lot of liquid surrounding the lasagna. If you'll let it rest for 20 minutes or so a lot of it will be absorbed.

 I cheated. I added some freshly grated English cheddar cheese with caramelized onions!

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HOW TO ROAST A RED PEPPER USING A GAS STOVE

1. Wash the pepper and dry it thoroughly.

2. Set the flame to medium high and place the pepper on the burner.

3. After the skin blackens, turn it. Repeat until thoroughly blackened.

4. Place pepper in a paper bag for 15 minutes. 

5. Remove from bag, remove skin.

6. Cut top off, remove seeds, and slice!

Left over peppers may be stored in a jar in the refrigerator. Be sure to fill the jar with olive oil to retain the best flavor possible. If you have a lot of roasted peppers, you can freeze them. Place strips between sheets of waxed paper and keep in a sealed container until ready to use. They should stay fresh tasting for several months. 

RECIPE: Herbed Spaghetti Squash with Sausage Meatballs

Remember the sausage and herb meatballs from last night? Well, I decided to get creative and make something different for dinner. I have never even had a spaghetti squash in my hand until yesterday, so this whole meal was basically an experiment. It turned out to be a successful experiment! We both almost licked out plates!
I found this recipe on Food Network.

Ingredients

• 1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 1/4 pounds
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed soft herbs, such as basil, chives, chervil, parsley and sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ***[I substituted Wildtree's Spaghetti Seasoning for the herbs. You can find this product here:

  Wildtree Products]

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add enough water to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. 

2. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender. 

3. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

4. Heat a skillet. Add the butter, spaghetti squash, herbs, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine. Serve immediately or cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

 Step 1

 Step 2

 Step 3

 Step 4

 Dinner!!

RECIPE: Paleo Baked Acorn Squash, Steak and Salad

The other day I was at the market and I saw a large assortment of winter squash including acorn squash, butternut squash and spaghetti squash. I decided to purchase an acorn squash and give it a try. I hate to admit it, but it's been years since I've eaten one! I had a couple of small steaks in the freezer that need to be eaten, along with a lot of lettuce, tomatoes, and a cucumber. (I'm trying to get my refrigerator ready for a big grocery run in preparation for the start of my 21 day challenge. Oh, I've not written about that yet, have I? I will do that shortly!
WHAT I USED:

an acorn squash

pure maple syrup

coconut oil

chinese five spice

a dash of salt

a dash of cinnamon

two 5.25" Karhai woks

WHAT I DID:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Wash acorn squash, cut it in half from stem to base.

3. Spoon out seeds and stringy stuff, then rinse well.

4. Melt coconut oil in microwave for 20+ seconds. Add syrup and chinese five spice. After tasting it I decided to spice it up a little by adding a dash of salt and cinnamon.

5. Score the meat of the squash with a sharp knife, but be careful not to cut through the skin. 

6. Spoon 1/2 coconut oil mixture into each half of the squash, drizzling some over the score marks.

7. Bake for 1:10 at 400 degrees. After 30 minutes or so I opened the oven door to check on them and ended up spooning some of the liquid along the top edges to keep it from getting dry or burned.

WHAT ELSE WAS ON THE PLATE?

Along with the acorn squash I pan seared, then baked a couple of small steaks. I had a little bacon fat left from breakfast, so I melted it in the 9.75" karhai wok. I sprinkled sea salt and fresh ground pepper on the steak, placing seasoned side down in the wok, then seasoned the top. I seared them for five minutes each side, then put the wok in the oven the last ten minutes. I let the steak and the squash rest for five minutes before plating them. 

This image is after the steaks have been seared, but before baked for ten minutes.

AND?

While the steaks were in the oven along side the squash, I quickly threw a salad together of spring greens, cucumber, and tomato. 

Dinner is plated!

(I added a few crumbles of bleu cheese and made a dressing of basil pesto, a little mayo, and some coconut milk. Very light and refreshing!)