Sweet Vegetables

Butternut Apple Skewers

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
3-4 apples
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons almond or cashew butter
8-10 wooden skewers

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel and dice butternut squash into about 3/4 inch cubes.
3. Mix together the spices, ghee or oil, nut butter, lemon juice and maple syrup. Add a bit of water if too thick, should be like a thick dressing.
4. In a bowl, pour 2/3 of the mixture over squash and toss, covering all the pieces evenly.
5. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Chop apples into similar-size pieces. Peeling the apples is optional.
7. Mix apple with lemon juice and then toss with remaining mixture.
8. Remove squash from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes and then put alternating apple and squash pieces on skewers.
9. Put back into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until both are soft.

Note:
These are great for an appetizer, dessert, or just a snack. They keep well in the refrigerator for about 3 days, so you can make a batch and have them on hand.

Stuffed Roasted Acorn

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Stuffing
1 cup cooked whole grain (quinoa, brown rice, millet, barley)
1 onion, finely diced
1 zucchini, diced
1/4 cup golden raisins or currants
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
3 teaspoons curry
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut acorn squash in half and clean out seeds and fibers. Cut a very thin slice off the bottom, so that the acorn squash halves can sit flat like soup bowls.
3. Brush with olive oil, and spread garlic evenly over the 4 bowls, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes.
4. While baking, in a skillet sauté onion, curry and raisins for 3 minutes. Add cooked grains and stir for 5 minutes.
5. Remove skillet from heat and mix in parsley and zucchini.
6. Fill each squash bowl with stuffing and top with chopped pumpkin seeds and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the squash is soft (when a butter knife sinks into the squash with ease). Serve warm.

Beet-Carrot-Parsnip-Fennel Extravaganza

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
3 big carrots
5 small beets
2 parsnips
1 fennel bulb
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
1. Scrub all the vegetables.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Chop vegetables into two-inch pieces and chop fennel bulb finely.
4. Mix vegetables with oil and sea salt. Transfer to a baking sheet/dish.
5. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

Broiled Celery Root Patties

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 large celery root
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cut off the exterior of the celery root, while still leaving it whole (do not cut in half).
2. Slice off thin pieces like you would slice a piece of cheese off a big block.
3. Preheat the broiler.
4. Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil, drop in celery root for about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from water and pat dry, brush with olive oil on both sides and place on baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Place under broiler for about 4 minutes or until they start to turn golden, then flip over and do the other side. Serve.

Variations:
Use the celery root as patties, serving them under a fresh salad, grains with fresh herbs on top, greens, or a piece of fish. They can be made ahead of time to serve at dinner or just to have on hand.

Delicata Tahini Squash

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 delicata squashes (about 7 inches long)
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon tamari
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice squash into discs about 1/8 inch thick, leaving seeds.
3. In a small bowl, mix tahini, cayenne and tamari, adding just a bit of water to get it to a creamy sauce consistency.
4. In a larger bowl, mix squash slices with tahini sauce, tossing so that each piece is covered.
5. Place on a non-stick baking sheet, sprinkle with pepper and place in the oven for 15 minutes, then flip pieces and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the squash is soft and tender. Serve.

Back to recipe index