When the first leaf turns golden brown, through the end of the winter, you can bet that I will be preparing many meals utilizing some sort of squash. My favorite of all varieties of squash happens to be the butternut squash. During fall/winter it often feels that we are having so much of it, its coming out of our ears! That doesn’t turn me off though, it just challenges me to be more and more creative! Although this is one of my more simple butternut squash recipes, I love it because you get to enjoy the full flavor of the squash, which pairs perfectly with sweet potatoes. The contrast of the salty goat cheese complements the sweetness of this dish.
I’ve been experimenting with different grains, rice’s and pastas, but I have just fallen in love with a little seed named quinoa. Quinoa is the seed of a leafy plant which contains a rich amount of protein, iron potassium and other vitamins and minerals. It is not only very healthy, but has a great texture and almost gives a little bit of crunch. It’s also very straightforward to prepare (takes about ten minutes), which makes it perfect for last minute suppers.
Now I know a butternut squash can appear a little daunting when you are getting ready to cut into cubes, but here is a way to attack it. The easiest approach I have found to prepare it is to first cut off the little stem so it is flat and then off the large neck. You will be left with a cylindrical shape that you can stand up and slowly peel using a sharp knife running it from top to bottom. Once the squash is peeled, I cut it into ½ disks which are in turn easily cubed.
Serving
When serving this dish, I like to place the quinoa in a bowl and then rest the roasted squash and potatoes on top. Next, I take the soft goat cheese and generously crumble it over the squash and sweet potatoes. To give this dish a final extra burst of flavor, I like to drizzle a little bit of balsamic vinegar over the top, which accentuates and balances the beautifully roasted veggies and the creamy goat cheese. If you plan on taking some for left-overs you can store everything together except the goat cheese which should be crumbled on right before you eat.
Ingredients
1 Butternut Squash (medium to small) – cut into ½ inch cubes
2 Sweet Potatoes – cut into ½ inch cubes
4 cloves of garlic – peeled and left whole
½ red onion – largely sliced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, plus 1 tsp for afterwards
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp herbs de provence
1 cup quinoa
¼ cup goat cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Toss first 7 ingredients with a couple of big pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or Pyrex pan. Place in oven for about 20 minutes. Toss every 5-7 minutes to get browning on multiple sides and prevent it from burning. Remove from the oven. Lightly toss with balsamic vinegar.
Meanwhile cook quinoa according to directions (usually 1 cup to 2 cups water) bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
In a large serving bowl top the quinoa with the roasted vegetables and garnish with goat cheese.
I’ve been experimenting with different grains, rice’s and pastas, but I have just fallen in love with a little seed named quinoa. Quinoa is the seed of a leafy plant which contains a rich amount of protein, iron potassium and other vitamins and minerals. It is not only very healthy, but has a great texture and almost gives a little bit of crunch. It’s also very straightforward to prepare (takes about ten minutes), which makes it perfect for last minute suppers.
Now I know a butternut squash can appear a little daunting when you are getting ready to cut into cubes, but here is a way to attack it. The easiest approach I have found to prepare it is to first cut off the little stem so it is flat and then off the large neck. You will be left with a cylindrical shape that you can stand up and slowly peel using a sharp knife running it from top to bottom. Once the squash is peeled, I cut it into ½ disks which are in turn easily cubed.
Serving
When serving this dish, I like to place the quinoa in a bowl and then rest the roasted squash and potatoes on top. Next, I take the soft goat cheese and generously crumble it over the squash and sweet potatoes. To give this dish a final extra burst of flavor, I like to drizzle a little bit of balsamic vinegar over the top, which accentuates and balances the beautifully roasted veggies and the creamy goat cheese. If you plan on taking some for left-overs you can store everything together except the goat cheese which should be crumbled on right before you eat.
Ingredients
1 Butternut Squash (medium to small) – cut into ½ inch cubes
2 Sweet Potatoes – cut into ½ inch cubes
4 cloves of garlic – peeled and left whole
½ red onion – largely sliced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, plus 1 tsp for afterwards
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp herbs de provence
1 cup quinoa
¼ cup goat cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Toss first 7 ingredients with a couple of big pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or Pyrex pan. Place in oven for about 20 minutes. Toss every 5-7 minutes to get browning on multiple sides and prevent it from burning. Remove from the oven. Lightly toss with balsamic vinegar.
Meanwhile cook quinoa according to directions (usually 1 cup to 2 cups water) bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
In a large serving bowl top the quinoa with the roasted vegetables and garnish with goat cheese.
1 comment:
my favorite!!! amazing!
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