Tag Archives: meatless monday

Recipe Box: Herb Roasted Butternut Squash

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Herb Roasted Butternut Squash

Love butternut squash, but don’t kow what to do with it aside form dousing it in brown sugar, butter and maple syrup? Don’t have the energy to turn it into soup, or you just want a change up from soup? Listen here; this is an insultingly easy recipe that can either be used as a light main or as a side dish. Perfect for Meatless Monday and so non-involved you’ll wonder how you didn’t come up with it in the first place. It’s okay; that’s why I am here.

Herb Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
1 bunch of fresh thyme
1/4th cup olive oil/herbed oil of your liking
1 tsp sea salt
black pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step One: Peel, seed and cube your squash. This will honestly be the worst part of the entire recipe. I do not use a peeler, but a very sharp knife with a thin blade. Before I even peel, I remove the top and bottom stem parts and quarter the squash. I then use an ice cream scoop to remove the seeds (which I recommend roasting as well) and start peeling. Take your cutting board out to the TV, plunk down in front of a brainless 30 minute program and start peeling, cubing as you go along.

Step Two: In a large, wide mouthed mixing bowl, toss in your bite-sized butternut squash pieces, thyme, salt & olive oil of choice. Incorporate well.

Step Three: Take a cookie sheet and line it either with a well oiled sheet of aluminum, or parchment paper. Spread the squash out in a single layer and pop it into the oven. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until squash is tender enough to skew with a fork.

Step Four: Remove from oven, garnish with more fresh thyme and a crank of black pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Herb Roasted Butternut Squash

Recipe Box: Quinoa Tabbouleh

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Quinoa Tabbouleh


I first made Quinoa Tabbouleh for friends who kept a vegan/vegetarian diet, following the recipe to a T and received favorable results. I made it again for my mom and she also loved it. Somehow I’ve not tackled in a couple of years, but when Mother’s Day rolled around and it was decided that my brother and I would throw our mom a picnic in the park, I instantly thought of this salad. As luck would have it, she requested it and this time I decided to get creative and make some changes.

Mom favored the changes immensely, so I wanted to share it with you. Quinoa, if you’re new around here, is a high-protein alternative to meat as well as grains like rice, bulgar wheat and couscous. This dish can be served as a side or main dish. It’s perfect for bringing to a potluck, appropriate for both vegans and gluten-free friends, cool and filling enough for summer and an ideal candidate for Meatless Mondays.

Quinoa Tabbouleh
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 cucumber, peeled & diced
2 bunches green onions, diced
1 cup Kalamata olives, diced
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

  • Rinse the quinoa before adding it along with the 2 c. of water into a 1.5 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for roughly 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with fork and transfer to a bowl. Allow quinoa to cool completely.

    • While your quinoa is cooking:

  • Quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds before dicing them.
  • Rinse the brine from the fresh olives (please do not use tin/canned olives)
  • Dice up the green onions, olives, parsley & cucumber

  • Add the chopped veg, herb and olives to a mixing bowl separate from the one that holds the quinoa. Mix in the olive oil and lemon juice before incorporating the quinoa into the bowl, mixing well.
  • Cover tightly will plastic wrap, stick it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

    • Alternatives:
    You can use cilantro/coriander in lieu of parsley
    Feta cheese
    Grated carrot (it is called for in the original recipe)
    Halve cherry or quarter strawberry tomatoes if you’re like me and hate dicing up larger tomatoes
    You don’t have to use that much olive oil – feel free to cut the measurement in half.

    Quinoa Tabbouleh