Squash and White Bean Soup

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 celery stalk, strings removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds (about 2 cups) butternut squash, peeled and seeded, flesh cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups low-sodium canned beef broth
4 thin slices sandwich bread
1 cup canned great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add celery; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in squash and tomatoes; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until squash is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a leaf-shape cutter to cut leaves from bread; arrange on a baking sheet. Brush with remaining tablespoon oil; bake until just golden, about 10 minutes.

Add beans to pot, and cook until they are warmed through, about 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Black Bean and Summer Squash

Black Bean and Summer Squash Enchiladas

(printer-friendly version)

These enchiladas are a little hard to get out of the pan completely intact, so I often bake and serve them in individual dishes.

1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup green or red bell pepper, chopped
12 ounces patty pan, zucchini, or yellow summer squash, diced (about 2 medium squash)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder (or mild chili powder)
1/8 -1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (or to taste)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, well rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 can enchilada sauce (or 10 ounces homemade sauce)
8 corn tortillas
chopped green onions, for serving

Saute the onion in a medium-sized saucepan until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the bell pepper and squash and cook, stirring, for about two minutes, until squash is just beginning to become tender. Add the cumin, chile powders, black beans, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the nutritional yeast and lime juice. Check seasoning and adjust to taste.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray one large rectangular baking dish or 4 individual baking dishes with olive oil. Place a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of each dish, reserving most of it to go on top. Microwave the tortillas for about 20 seconds to soften them. Place a tortilla in front of you and arrange about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture across the center. Roll up and place seam-side down into the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and beans. Pour the remaining sauce over the top.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with sliced green onions to serve.

Servings: 4

Yield: 8 enchiladas

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Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 269 calories, 27 calories from fat, 3.2g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 753.6mg sodium, 654.5mg potassium, 51.6g carbohydrates, 10.9g fiber, 4.5g sugar, 12.1g protein, 4.8 points.

Quick Enchilada Sauce
Recipe By :Mary McDougall, "McDougall Health Supporting Cookbook Volume 1"
Serving Size : 2 1/2 cups
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch -- or arrowroot
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 10 minutes.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
1 egg white
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, sugar, cayenne and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Drain off any excess egg white (using a strainer) and place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar and cayenne pepper when they come out of the oven. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

Curried Pumpkin Seeds
1 egg white
2 teaspoon curry powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, curry powder and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Drain off any excess egg white (using a strainer) and place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more curry powder when they come out of the oven. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

Black Tea & Butter Pumpkin Seeds
You can use many different types of tea here. I opted for a smoky black one, but you can go for one infused with other flavors, or even tisanes (I have a dried lime tea that I be would be interesting in this recipe). Choose a tea that is fragrant and has a pronounced flavor for best results.

1 teaspoon (black) tea
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375.

Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the tea into a fine powder. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the butter and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with the ground tea. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash

Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash

The pine nuts really complement the lemon flavor, but if you decide to leave them out, you can deduct about 30 calories and 3 grams of fat per serving.

10 ounces butternut squash (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup chopped shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons (about 7/10 ounce) lightly toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds and strings (using a grapefruit spoon makes this easier). Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and toss with the 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Place them on a non-stick baking sheet (or silicone mat), sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it well and allow to drain. Heat a deep, non-stick pot. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallots soften slightly. Add the quinoa and toast it until it has dried out and begins to exude a toasty aroma. Add the squash along with the thyme and vegetable broth. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring once or twice, until all broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon peel and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice if needed.

Serve with toasted pine nuts and chives sprinkled on top.

Servings: 4 large side-dish servings

Lentil Curry with Squash and Spinach

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) each curry powder and grated gingerroot
1 tsp (5 mL) each ground cumin and fennel seeds
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) vegetable or chicken stock
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) green lentils
Half butternut squash (1 lb/500 g)
1 large potato
6 cups (1.5 L) fresh spinach

Preparation:

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add flour, curry, ginger, cumin and fennel; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, water and lentils. Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and seed squash; cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. Set aside. Peel and cut potato into 3/4 inch (2 cm) cubes; add to pot. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add squash; cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until tender and liquid is thickened.

Thin and coarsely chop spinach; stir into pot until wilted.

Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients
Serves 8
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound gemelli pasta, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch (about 8 ounces) kale, thick stems removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 can (29 ounces) pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin-pie filling)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons jarred sun-dried tomato pesto
1/2 cup unblanched almonds, sliced

Directions:
Cook pasta, and drain; reserve. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add kale; cook, stirring, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, broth, and pesto; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Toss pasta with pumpkin-kale mixture. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or eight individual dishes. Top with almonds. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes.

Acorn Squash Quesadilla

Acorn Squash Quesadilla

The secret to getting your quesadillas crisp, Lindquist insisted, is to cook them in either butter or lard, and no skimping. A griddle is best if you have one, but a regular old frying pan will do in a pinch.

1 small/medium acorn squash
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons diced white onion
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 clove garlic, minced
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and cut into strips
Salt and pepper to taste
10-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend of your choice (I used Muenster, not Mexican but worked great!)
Butter for frying quesadillas
Garnishes: Julienned radishes, crema or sour cream and/or salsa verde cruda (recipe below)

First, roast the acorn squash. Preheat the oven to 400° and lightly oil a baking sheet. Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds (you can save them to toast later, if you wish) and cut each half into half-inch slices. Lay them on the baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until soft but not cooked to mush. (You’ll finish it in the pan.)

When cool enough to work with, use a paring knife or your hands to peel the skin off each slice. Lightly chop the squash and put it in a bowl.

Saute the onions, garlic and jalapeno in the oil until translucent. Add the poblano strips and cook for a couple minutes more. Add the squash and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes, until the squash is tender and the flavors have melded. Season with salt and pepper and take off heat.

Spread a few tablespoons of the cooked squash mixture onto one half of a 10-inch flour tortilla. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of the cheese. Fold over and place in a hot pan with melted butter, and fry until crispy. Cut the finished quesadilla into four triangles and top with your choice of garnishes. Eat while warm.

Tomatilla Salsa [Salsa Verde Cruda]

10 tomatillos, husked and well washed, quartered
1/2 bunch of scallions, roots and green ends trimmed, cut into big segements
5 garlic cloves, smashed
2 jalapenos, roughly chopped
Pinch of allspice
Salt to taste

Puree all ingredients together until very smooth either in a blender or food processor. Season with salt.

Butternut Squash Pie

Butternut Squash Pie
Yields 1 9-inch pie

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, chilled
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 5 pieces
4 teaspoons beaten egg from 1 large egg

For the filling:
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups roasted squash purée, packed (see below)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1. For the crust: Combine flour and salt in food processor bowl, and pulse. Remove lid, scatter vegetable shortening and butter over surface, and pulse 5 or 6 times.

2. Combine beaten egg and 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse liquid into dry ingredients, continuing until mixture is evenly moist and dough looks curdy, 10 seconds. Turn onto work surface, and press firmly into disc, adding drops of water if dough feels dry. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

3. Roll dough into 15-inch round on lightly floured surface, and fit into shallow 9-inch pie pan. Trim and crimp edges. Refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile place large pizza stone on lowest rack in oven, and heat at 425 degrees for 1 hour.

4. Line chilled pie pan with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until crust dries out and crimped edges begin to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower heat to 325.

5. While crust bakes, prepare filling: combine eggs, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices in food processor, and process until smooth. Add squash purée, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in heavy cream, and process to combine. Scrape filling into hot prebaked shell, and bake on pizza stone until filling is set 2/3 in from perimeter and center still jiggles, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature on rack. Garnish with whipped cream, candied squash and ginger relish if desired. Serve.

Squash Puree
Yields 3 cups

2 3 1/2- to 4-pound butternut squashes, scrubbed
Grapeseed oil spray

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-by-15-inch rimmed sheetpan with aluminum foil, and spray with grapeseed oil. Trim off stem end, then cut through squashes horizontally where bulb begins. Reserve bulb for another use. Cut squash necks in two lengthwise. Slice into 1-inch sections and arrange on sheet pan.

2. Bake, turning occasionally, until squash is tender and beginning to caramelize, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly, trim skin away with paring knife, and force flesh through food mill. Use immediately in pie or place in plastic container with lid, and refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months.

Spaghetti Squash Gratin

Spaghetti Squash Gratin
spaghetti squash - 3 pounds
canned tomatoes
thyme
2 small garlic cloves
pepper / salt
Parmigiano


1. Take a 3-pound spaghetti squash and put it in a stockpot, covering it with water. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer with the top on, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Remove the squash from the pot with tongs, and slice it lengthwise. Let the halves cool until you can handle the flesh with your bare fingers. Remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, scoop out the strands and transfer them to a bowl, until the shells are empty.

2. To the squash strands add 6 or 7 heaping spoonfuls of diced, canned tomatoes. Add the freshly stripped leaves of several thyme branches, 2 small diced garlic cloves, freshly ground pepper and some salt. Mix this all together and spoon into a gratin dish. Cover the squash mixture with shavings of Parmigiano.

3. Slide the dish into an oven that's been preheated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and let it bubble away for half an hour, or until the top has browned nicely. This serves 2 people as a side dish.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto
Serves 6 to 8

1 medium butternut squash (about 1 pound)
24 sage leaves
Salt and pepper
7 to 8 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion
5 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

1. Peel and clean the squash, then dice it into very small cubes. Put the diced squash in a heavy-bottomed pan with a few whole sage leaves, salt and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, but not too soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop 6 sage leaves fine and cut the onion into small dice.

2. Heat the rest of the stock and hold at a low simmer. In another heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of butter, add the chopped sage and cook for a minute or so; add the onion and continue to cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and a pinch of salt and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until the rice has turned slightly translucent. Turn up the heat and pour in the white wine. When the wine has been absorbed, add just enough hot stock to cover the rice, stir well and reduce the heat.

3. Keep the rice at a gently simmer and continue to add more stock, a ladle or two at a time, letting each addition be absorbed by the rice. While the rice is cooking, saute the remaining sage leaves in butter until crisp.

4. After 15 minutes, the rice will be nearly cooked. Stir in the cooked squash, the rest of the butter and the cheese. Continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Taste for texture and consistency, adding more stock if necessary. Adjust the seasoning. When done, serve in warm bowls and garnish with crisp sage leaves, and more cheese if desired.