Last week I roasted a large butternut squash and used it in various meals throughout the week, as well as a side dish or a salad topper. The squash is easy to roast. Slice open (carefully), clean out seeds & then simply roast in the oven for about 40 minutes at 400 – 425. If you are using the squash in a recipe that requires it to be pureed or in chunks, skin the squash & cut into chunks before roasting. I did this and then tossed with extra virgin olive oil & Trader Joe’s South African smoke seasoning blend.
After the squash was done, I got to making the first recipe I was using the squash in – Butternut Squash Mac & Cheeze. I made some small changes, but the results were still spectacular!
- 1 fresh butternut squash* (see my method above)
- Extra virgin olive oil, S & P
- 1 tbsp Earth Balance (I used Melt)
- 1 cup unsweetened & unflavoured almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder (I used cornstarch)
- 5 tbsp nutritional yeast, or more to taste
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste) & ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 servings brown rice macaroni (8oz or half a 16oz package) makes 3 1/4 cup cooked
- Mix-ins of choice (I used kale and chunks of squash)
I loved this dish – it was flavorful & filling. Perfect fall day treat!
Believe it or not I still had squash left over and I was planning on pizza for Friday night. Can you see where this is going? Butternut squash pizza. Then I just had to figure out what to top it with. I asked for some ideas on twitter and loved that I had the first two that were suggested already on hand: pine nuts & goat cheese. I found a few other ingredients to add to those 2 and got to work.
- Kinnikinnick personal size pizza crust
- Butternut squash (roasted & seasoned as directed above)
- Goat cheese
- Pine nuts
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Chopped broccoli
- Spinach
I loved this combination!! I thought about adding shredded carrots after the fact – perhaps in place of the broccoli? I managed to finish off the whole thing by myself (not that my family would have eaten this combo – they think I am weird).
Do you like butternut squash? What is your favorite way to prepare it?
My son and me, November 2000. This is before we were gluten-free/diagnosed Celiac.
I love, love, love butternut squash. My favorite way is to make spicy butternut squash fries – they're always a hit!
Oh, yes….love me some butternut squash fries!
I love using butternut squash as the base for a harvest pudding. Roast it then puree it and add chopped apples, pears, raisins, cranberries, cinnamon and brown sugar. Top with a gluten-free granola and bake like a crisp. Perfect for a hearty, healthy breakfast or dessert!
Lizanne – That sounds amazing!
I love butternut squash mac-n-cheese. Instead of chunks on top, I roast the butternut squash and then mix it into the cheese sauce. Absolutely delish!
Great idea!
Yum! Goat chees and pine nuts sound like a great combo with the squash.Broccoli too. Last year I made (multiple times!) a pizza with b-nut squash, pine nuts, sage and proscuitto. Delicious! http://beyondriceandtofu.com/2011/02/16/pizza-fes…
Oh, Renee, I love the sound of that ! Thanks for sharing!
I made the butternut cheese sauce tonight and served it with rice. So good!
I am so glad that you enjoyed it! I love the idea of serving over rice!