Butternut Squash or Sweet Potatoes - Maple Pecan Hasselback

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Seasons and Suppers

Total Baking time will be about an hour!

• 1 small butternut squash (Could also modify this for a sweet potato)
• Cooking oil, for brushing
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 3 sprigs Fresh thyme
• 2 Tbsp pecans (finely chopped)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Flaky finishing salt, like Maldon's

Preheat oven to 425F with rack in top third of oven. Have a baking sheet ready - one that is just a bit larger than the two squash halves.  Not a ceramic one since this recipe calls for adding water to a hot pan 3x.   Hmmm- would parchment paper be helpful at all???

BAKE 20 MINUTES - Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, trying to keep the two halves as even in size as possible (for even cooking). Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the squash and discard. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin and the whitish layer just beneath it to expose bright orange flesh. Place on prepared baking sheet, cut side down. Brush squash with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

HASSELBACK CUT - Remove squash halves to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut slits 1/4-inch apart in the squash, cutting almost but not all the way through.  Don't attempt to cut the slits in the butternut squash without pre-baking it for 20 minutes first. That's a quick way to end up in the emergency room!

TIP:  Cutting anything in to hasselback shape is not always easy, but I heard a tip some time ago that has made that job so much easier! Simply lay the long handle of a wooden spoon next to the squash as you cut straight down. The handle will prevent your knife from going all the way through the squash. Just be sure to hold your knife completely parallel to your cutting surface.

BASTE AND BAKE #1 - Return cut squash to the same baking sheet. Heat the maple syrup and butter in the microwave or a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Stir well to combine. Brush with some of maple/butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle dried thyme leaves over squash, trying to get in the slits a bit, if possible. Pour 1/4 cup water in to bottom of pan.  Return to 425F oven for 15 minutes. 

BASTE AND BAKE #2  - Remove from oven, baste with more maple/butter mixture. Add another 1/4 of water to the pan and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes.

BASTE AND BAKE #3 - Remove from oven. Tuck 2 or 3 thyme sprigs between a few slits in each squash half. Add pecans to remaining maple/butter mixture and stir to combine. *Note: If mixture has hardened at all, re-warm before adding pecans so it's liquid again. Brush pecan/maple/butter mixture over-top of squash. Add a final 1/4 cup of water to the pan and return to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes, or until squash is tender.

MORE TOPPING - Remove from oven. Drizzle a bit of maple syrup over each half. Sprinkle with finishing salt.

Squash - Acorn in the Instant Pot

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Not Quite Superhuman

Instead of following directions, I set the IP for 10 minutes.
It was too done - a bit mushy.
Next time follow directions!

• Acorn Squash
• 1 cup water
• Salt
• Pepper

• 2 tbs butter  Nothing else is necessary.  The squash will be just fine.  But if you are just dying for some grease, olive oil could be used or if you are dying for sugar, use a little maple syrup. 

1. Wash Acorn Squash and remove any labels.
2. Cut Acorn Squash in half and, using a spoon, scoop out any seeds.
3. Place water and trivet in inner pot of IP.
4. Place Acorn Squash side by side, cut side up on trivet.
5. Place 1tbs butter in each half, season with salt and pepper. 
6. Close lid and seal vent. Set at Manual on High pressure for 5 minutes. Natural release for 15 min.
7. When done, careful remove from pot using tongs or a large spoon.
8. Enjoy!

TIP: Once you’ve mastered this basic skill of how to cook acorn squash, here are a few ways to spice it up — acorn squash is such a versatile ingredient, so make it your own! - Source: Rachel Cooks

Sweet: Add a sprinkle of cinnamon

Sweet: Add brown sugar or maple syrup + butter

Sweet: Add cinnamon + nutmeg

Savory: Add chili powder

Savory: Add smoked paprika

Savory: Give it an Italian twist — add oregano, basil, and Parmesan cheese

Sweet and Spicy: Follow the sweet directions but add a bit of cinnamon and cayenne

Squash - Spaghetti - several versions

New - Try baking cut sides up at 460 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes as described on Chocolate Covered Katie.  The squash will be nicely caramelized and less watery.

Inspiration Sources:  Detoxinista and The Kitchn

COOKING IT IN HALVES

Slice the spaghetti squash in half and then scoop out the seeds in the center.

Place a trivet or steamer basket in the bottom of the Instant Pot and add a cup of water into the bottom.

Arrange the cut squash halves on top of the trivet and secure the lid. Make sure the vent at the top is turned to the "sealed" position.

Use the manual button to set the pressure cooker to cook for 7 minutes on high pressure.


COOKING IT WHOLE

Add one cup of water to the cooker and then set its steamer basket or a metal trivet inside the pot as well.

Pierce the squash all over with a paring knife, making about a dozen 1/2-inch vents for the steam to penetrate the squash’s skin.

Then add the squash to the electric pressure cooker, set for 15 minutes on high pressure, and cook away.



FINISH UP FOR BOTH

When time is up, quick release the pressure and remove the squash.

Give the squash at least 10 minutes to cool before halving and shredding.

Carefully remove the lid, use a fork to check the squash to make sure it's cooked to your liking.  If there is water collected in the center of your squash, drain it before serving.

To serve the squash, use the tines of a fork to separate the cooked strands into spaghetti-like pieces and remove them from the hard shell.

Use the cooked squash in your favorite recipe and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Potatoes - Briam, Greek Baked Zucchini and Potatoes

Inspiration Source:  Allrecipes

Briam is a traditional Greek roasted vegetable dish with potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, and red onions with lots of olive oil.  I feel sure using the oil would result in a tasty dish, but it is well worth it health-wise, to learn to cook without oil.   See Cooking Without Oil.

The Mediterranean Diet is healthy in spite of olive oil- not because of it. The lowered heart attack risk on this diet is due to the high consumption of whole plant foods rather than the addition of olive oil.

First attempt - 90 minutes at 400 degrees - a little too done.

• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 
• 4 large zucchini, thinly sliced 
• 4 small red onions, thinly sliced 
• 6 ripe tomatoes, pureed 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) 
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
• 1/2 cup broth 

Optional: 

• Eggplant

Preheat oven to 350.   The recipe called for 400, but when cooking without oil, it is recommended to go "low and slow".   Everything was a little too done at 400 for 90 minutes.

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl so that the vegetables are evenly coated. 

Spread ingredients in a 9x13-inch baking dish, or preferably a larger one. Use 2 baking dishes if necessary.

Bake in the preheated oven, stirring after 1 hour, until vegetables are tender and moisture has evaporated, about 90 minutes. Check on them at about 75 minutes.

Cool slightly before serving, or serve at room temperature.



Comments from reviewers:

• For all of us that have to mess with it..... DON'T!!! It took all of my will power to not add a little of this or that. Namely garlic. This is hands down phenomenal made just as directed. Greek Hubs said I was granted a lifetime visa to Athens for this dish. Make a huge batch! It's even more delightful the next day 
• I actually made a mistake and cut EGGPLANT instead of zucchini. (Don't ask....giggle!!!!) Anyway, as I didn't have anything else immediately planned for the eggplant, I decided to include it in my ingredients. I used less zucchini as a result and crossed my fingers that the eggplant would not adversely affect the end result. OH MY GOSH....it was sooooooooooo good! I plan to always include the eggplant along with the zucchini. This is truly a very satisfying dish and my husband LOVED it! Main dish or as a side....this is a recipe to keep handy!!! 
• Using a mandoline made veggie slicing quick and easy. 
• I make a similar dish that uses bell peppers instead of zucchini and basil and balsamic instead of parsley. Roasted vegetables are the best!

Salad - Quinoa with Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onions

Inspired by: Recipe from Julia's Album

• broth
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked 
• 1 onion, sliced 
• 1/2 butternut squash, medium size 
• salt 
• 1/4 cup French Vinaigrette salad dressing, add generous amounts of dressing to individual portions 
• sprinkle of nutritional yeast - optional
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted 

COOK QUINOA

1. Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it a few times under cool water.  Quinoa can be bitter if you do not properly rinse it before you cook it. Rinsing gets rid of the quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which is what makes it taste bitter.  Quinoa should NOT be soaked.
2. Add uncooked quinoa, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of water to a large sauce pan. Bring to boil. 
3. Reduce to medium simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, stir the quinoa with the spoon. Cover the pan with lid, and let the quinoa rest in the pan for about 10 minutes. 
5. Yield: 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa yields 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa. 

More info on cooking quinoa can be found HERE.



ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Peel the squash and slice it into 3/4 inch cubes. You will only need 1/2 of the medium size squash. Toss the squash cubes in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons broth and generously sprinkle with salt. 
3. Put butternut squash on the greased baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, until soft. Flip the squash cubes over midway through baking. Let it cool slightly before adding to the salad. 

CARAMELIZE ONIONS

1. Thinly slice 3 large onions. 
2. Heat a large skillet on high heat. When pan is heated, add sliced onions and cook on high for about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking onions for 10 more minutes, continuing to stir, as onions brown even more without burning. At this point add just a pinch of salt over onions. 
4. Continue cooking the onions for 10 more minutes on medium or low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure onions don’t stick to the bottom of the pan or burn. Add a little bit of water or broth if they start to stick. 
5. Total, by now you should have cooked onions for 30 minutes. 
6. Remove the pan with caramelized onions from heat and sprinkle the onions with a small amount of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. 
7. Using spatula, stir the caramelized onions, scraping the bottom of the pan and coating onions with a pinch of balsamic vinegar you just added. 

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER: 

1. In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, and mix with the dressing. Add the dressing only before the serving, and add as much as you want to individual portions, as both quinoa and butternut squash tend to be on a dry side, and this dressing (when generously applied) fixes this beautifully! 
2. Top each individual serving of quinoa salad with nutritional yeast and toasted pine nuts.

Note: The quinoa salad keeps very well refrigerated for up to a week, but only without dressing. Add the dressing only before serving.

Ratatouille - Slow Cooker Version

Inspiration:  Eating Bird Food

This is before cooking.  I didn't have eggplant, but look forward to including it next time!

• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 large eggplant, chopped 
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped 
• 4 summer squash/zucchini squash 
• 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes 
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Herbs de Provence 
• salt and pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) 
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped

Add all ingredients except basil into a large slow-cooker, cover and cook.

Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low.
*IMPORTANT - Don’t overcook! It’ll turn to mush.

The ratatouille is ready when the vegetables have softened, but aren’t mushy.

If the ratatouille seems too watery, remove the slow cooker lid and cook on high for the last hour.

Just before serving, gently stir in fresh basil.

Serve over a whole grain like rice or quinoa as a main entree.

Special note about eggplants:

If you are worried that the eggplant might be bitter, peel and cut it in whatever size and shape pieces the recipe calls for. Place it in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt. Let the salted eggplant sit for at least 1/2 hour or up to 1 1/2 hours. You'll see beads of moisture start to form on the surface of the eggplant as it sits. Some of the pieces may start to look a little shriveled; this is fine. When you're ready to cook, rinse the eggplant under cold water to remove the excess salt and pat it dry.  Pressing the eggplant also collapses some of the eggplant’s air cells, so it absorbs less oil if it’s sautéed.

When eggplant slices are fried, their spongy texture absorbs a surprising amount of liquid. As air pockets collapse, some of that is released. 

There are plenty of ways to cook eggplant.  Roasted, baked, or grilled eggplant is also delicious.

- Source: Science of Cooking

Squash, Zucchini, Tomato and Vidalia Onion Casserole

There are lots of ways to do this recipe.  Most similar recipes call for olive oil, butter, Italian dressing, and/or lots of cheese, which sucks the healthy right out and certainly doesn't vibe with a whole foods, plant based lifestyle.  

2 medium yellow squash

2 large zucchini

1 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced

2 large tomatoes, sliced

sprinkle of nutritional yeast

Italian Seasoning, maybe even Italian bread crumbs

 salt and pepper to taste

More:
Garlic
Basil - Granish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut the zucchini and squash.  There are lots of ways to do the cutting.  It all depends on the presentation you're in the mood for.   The photos (from The Blond Cook) above are just two ideas.
3. Line a baking dish with parchment and layer the squash, zucchini, onion and tomatoes into the baking dish. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and bread crumbs. Season each layer with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.
4. Continue this layering process until all the vegetables are used up.
5. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes (OR 350 degrees for 35 minutes  or until vegetables are to desired tenderness. --- This recipe could also be sautéed stovetop.

Squash - Healthy Summer Squash Casserole

I used basil instead of parsley - still good 

• 2 lbs summer squash zucchini and yellow squash, cut into ¼-inch slices
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs, gluten-free
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut yellow squash and zucchini into thin, ¼-inch slices.  Place slices in dish, overlapping in rows.  You should be able to form 4 rows.**   Or just put everything in willy-nilly.
3. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and spices over the zucchini and squash.
4. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
5. Remove foil and turn heat to a High broil. Broil for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until breadcrumb topping starts to turn a golden brown.
6. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!