Tag: vegetables (Page 1 of 2)

Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash

November 4, 2016 / Jenny / 15 Comments

Fill roasted acorn squash “bowls” with sautéed mushrooms, chopped walnuts, couscous, and fresh thyme, and you have a festive and nourishing meal. A bit of melted butter and Parmesan cheese make it even better. The tender squash goes beautifully with the savory flavors of the filling, and the protein-rich mushrooms and walnuts are satisfying without making you feel over-full.

Roasted acorn squash halves make beautiful and tasty bowls for both sweet and savory fillings. I love apple-filled roasted squash, but I was recently looking for a way to use my acorn squash more as a main dish. Then I read a post titled Loaded Tofu, Basmati Rice & Apple Roasted Pumpkin on Amanda’s lovely blog, What’s Cooking. The title meal itself sounds delicious, and in this post, Amanda goes on to write about the versatility of the fillings as well as the squashes that can be used for stuffing, and she mentions brown rice, mushrooms, and walnuts as a possible filling. A little lightbulb went off in my head when I read this, because I had mushrooms, walnuts, and couscous on hand, and a pretty acorn squash sitting on my kitchen counter.

A suggestion turned into a delicious meal. Thank you, Amanda! The tender squash is a delicious, edible bowl for the savory mushrooms, couscous, walnuts, and thyme. You can really mix and match your filling ingredients, and prepare them while the squash is roasting. I happened to have leftover garlic-seasoned couscous in the refrigerator, but rice or quinoa would be good too. And if you wanted to add more protein, you could add some cooked shredded chicken or other ingredients. The possibilities are endless, so this recipe is merely one option, though a very delicious one! The recipe below is for one squash, which feeds about two people, but it can easily be doubled or more, if you are feeding a few people, and the amounts are estimates, because some of it depends on the size of the squash you are filling.

Using a roasted squash for a bowl is fun and seasonal. And if you are like me, sometimes you may need a little urging to use that squash. I end up with them sitting on my counter with the best of intentions, and though they look decorative on the counter, they need to be used! This is a relatively easy, lovely, healthy, and tasty way to use it. Rustic elegance on your table in a little over an hour, and much of that is oven time.

The fall color here continues to amaze me with its beauty. Everywhere I look there are beautiful trees. I am really hoping to get out into the woods this weekend. The natural luxury and bounty of this season is always inspiring to me. Nature is so generous with its display of sumptuous colors and textures, and looking around, I can see every shade of yellow, brown, red, and green. I hope you all have a beautiful weekend! I will be sharing this recipe over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Margy @ La Petite Casserole and Suzanne @ apuginthekitchen.

Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash

Servings: 2
Time: about one hour and 15 minutes total time
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Ingredients:

One small to medium sized acorn squash
1/2 to 1 cup of cooked couscous (rice or quinoa can also be used)
1 cup of sliced mushrooms, sautéed
1/4 cup of raw walnuts, finely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves, removed from the stems
1/4 to 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to base. Spoon out the seeds. Place the halves cut-sides down in a buttered baking dish. Roast in your 375 degree oven for 35 to 50 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork or knife. (The roasting time will depend on the size of the squash).

While the squash is roasting, prepare your filling. Cook the couscous and sauté the mushrooms. Chop the walnuts and remove the thyme leaves from the stems. Mix the filling together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper and anything else you like.

When the squash is tender, pull it out of the oven and flip it over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and rub with a couple tablespoons or so of butter. Spoon the filling into the squash “bowls”, packing the filling as high as you want it. Put the filled squash back into the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is warmed all the way through. In the last five minutes or so, top with Parmesan cheese. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Kale and Pecan Casserole

May 14, 2015 / Jenny / 8 Comments

Kale is such a popular green right now! Long overlooked, it is now revered for its superior nutritional qualities. Kale is something that grows really well in our garden, and its growing season lasts from spring until late into the fall, so we eat a lot of kale in my household. I am always looking for new ways to use this superfood, and this casserole is my latest favorite. The jury still seems to be out on whether raw or cooked kale is best for us. Some sources say that cooking kale kills some of its nutrients, while other sources say that boiling kale for a short time makes the nutrients easier for our bodies to digest. The way I deal with this is that I make kale all kinds of different ways–raw in smoothies and salads, baked in kale chips, and blanched and baked in this scrumptious casserole.

In addition to the vitamin and mineral-rich kale, this casserole also contains pecans, which are chock-full of nutrients as well. The recipe I am sharing below is adapted from one I found in one of my favorite cookbooks, the charming “Mrs. Chard’s Almanac Cookbook: Hollyhocks and Radishes” by Bonnie Stewart Mickelson. The pecans and nutmeg offset the earthiness of the kale, and the sautéed onions and breadcrumbs add a savory richness to bring out kale’s deep flavor. I feel like I am feeding my body lots of good energy when I eat this casserole. Many of us are depleted of minerals these days, so eating a vegetable so rich in minerals helps restore the natural balance our bodies crave.

Our bodies long to be close to the earth and the minerals that come from the earth. With spring finally here and gardening season in full swing, I am reminded of how good it is to eat foods grown in my own soil or soil close to home. This quote expresses this feeling well, and though the author mentions a carrot, I think the sentiment can apply to all fruits and vegetables: “If you truly get in touch with a piece of carrot, you get in touch with the soil, the rain, the sunshine. You get in touch with Mother Earth and eating in such a way, you feel in touch with true life, your roots, and that is meditation. If we chew every morsel of our food in that way we become grateful and when you are grateful, you are happy.” –Thich Nhat Hanh

As a side dish, this casserole can bake away peacefully while you focus on the main course of the meal.

Kale and Pecan Casserole

Servings: 4-6
Time: approximately 15 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to bake
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Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 pounds of kale, chopped
1 cup of onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup whole of wheat bread crumbs, plus 1/4 cup more for later
3 tablespoons of butter, plus 2 more for later
1 cup of light cream (if you don’t have cream, I have also used 2% milk)
1/2 cup of pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Thoroughly was the kale and trim away the leafy parts from the thickest parts of the stems. Discard the stems. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the kale. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the kale is just barely tender. Drain well in a colander and chop into bite-sized pieces.

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Sauté the chopped onions until soft (about 7 minutes). When the onions are softened, add the cooked kale, 1/3 cup bread crumbs, cream, chopped pecans, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine. Transfer to a lightly greased 1 and 1/2 quart deep baking dish.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs to coat. Sprinkle over the top of the kale mixture in the baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste, as needed. Enjoy!

To make ahead, prepare the recipe up to the point of baking. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

This dish also tastes good as a leftover. Refrigerate the leftover portion and warm it back up in the oven the next day.

Recipe adapted from “Mrs. Chard’s Almanac Cookbook: Hollyhocks and Radishes” by Bonnie Steward Mickelson

Vibrant Vegetables and Garden Candy

July 7, 2014 / Dragonfly Home Recipes / 2 Comments

One of the many things I like about summer is the availability and abundance of raw, fresh food. Although I truly enjoy recipes and baking and cooking, sometimes all you need is a few fresh ingredients and you’ve got a beautiful salad, and munching on fresh vegetables is the best kind of snack. When food is just-picked or recently harvested, the flavor really pops.

On a recent trip to a farmers market in northern Michigan, my sister-in-law and I found all kinds of yummy produce. She bought a variety of greens and lettuces, green onions, and radishes, and made a vibrant, crunchy salad. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to make a salad out of whatever is in season. You can just taste the brightness, and the level of nutrients is at its highest when foods are recently harvested. As my husband would say, when we eat in-season vegetables, we can feel the nutrients flowing into our bodies and giving us energy. I have already written about the many nutritional benefits of leafy greens in a previous post, but as for radishes, they are full of vitamins and minerals as well. According to www.med-health.net/Health-Benefits-Of-Radishes.html, radishes also have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties and a high water content.

Another food that is in season right now, at least in our garden here at home, is green peas. They are just becoming ripe enough to harvest. At our house, peas rarely even make it to the kitchen, they are eaten so quickly. Maybe we just don’t grow enough of them. My kids love to pick them and eat them right out of the pod (the pod keeps the peas nice and clean too). My daughter calls them “garden candy” because they are so sweet. I don’t mind the fact that the peas are eaten before they even reach the kitchen–I know my kids are eating a really healthy snack. Some nutritional information about peas can be found at www.care2.com/greenliving/10-health-benefits-of-peas.html. This website states that peas have not only micronutrients and fiber, but also protein. That is a big bonus for our family, since we do not eat a lot of meat. Peas are also very portable and easy to pack as a snack–you just have to open the pod and pop them into your mouth.