Butternut Squash Posole

If you like southwestern/mexican food, this is sure to become one of your favorite recipes. We visited Sante Fe, New Mexico a few years back on our road trip from North Carolina to California. I was struck by how delicious, fresh, and innovative the food was in Sante Fe, in addition to the beautiful setting in the mountains and interesting architecture. One of the things I loved about their cuisine was the incorporation of squash and hearty greens with traditional southwestern flavors. Posole is a southwestern soup made with hominy (essentially, large soaked corn kernels) that often includes pork, but I think this vegetarian version is even better and will appeal just as well to non-vegetarian eaters. One of the keys to this recipe is using real dried chiles as the base for the soup - chili powder just doesn't cut it here. Fortunately, good dried chiles are easier to find and cheaper than you'd think - I found a big bag of New Mexican chiles (or "chile pods") at Whole Foods for a few dollars. I'd definitely recommend not skipping the toppings here (queso fresco and hulled pumpkin seeds) as they add a nice balance and texture to the soup. Like many soup dishes, this is equally good if not better reheated the next day.

Butternut Squash Posole
Serves 4

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
1 small (~ 2lb.) butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 28 oz. can hominy (including water from can)
1 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 dried New Mexican chiles (chile pods)
1 t. cumin
1 t. dried oregano
3 c. water
1 bunch collard greens, leaves ripped from stems and coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
Queso fresco, crumbled, for serving
Toasted salted hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), for serving

Heat 1 c. of boiling water. Rip the stems off of the chiles and shake out the seeds (discard seeds). Put the dried chiles in a blender and pour the boiling water over the chiles. Pressing down on the lid of the blender, blend the chiles and water until smooth. Let sit while preparing the squash, onion, garlic, and greens.

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add the cumin and oregano, then add the butternut squash and stir to combine. Add the hominy (and water from the can), 2 additional cups of water, and 1 t. kosher salt. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add the collard greens, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes until the squash is tender. Taste for seasoning and add any additional salt if necssary to your liking (I added 1 t.). Ladle into bowls and top with crumbed queso fresco cheese and pumpkin seeds. I served this with a side of whole-grain cornbread using the recipe on the back of Bob Red Mill's organic medium-ground cornmeal.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Black-Eyed Peas, and Corn

I picked up a quick lunch at Whole Foods the other day and tried out a new side in their hot food bar - a chile-spiked quinoa with beans, corn, and tomatoes. The idea of making quinoa with a mexican/southwestern flair hadn't occurred to me and I wanted to try out my own version. I had some butternut squash from my CSA box this week and love using squash, sweet potatoes, and yams in chilis and enchiladas so I thought this would go well with this dish. Instead of the black beans in Whole Foods' vesion, I used frozen black eyed peas, in addition to some frozen white corn. Don't be afraid to use certain frozen foods, as long as they don't have any additives. Frozen fruits and vegetables are flash frozen at the peak of their freshness and while they shouldn't be the star of any dish, they can be a great complement when the fresh version isn't available (or in the case of black-eyed peas, when you don't have hours to cook them). I topped this with queso fresco cheese and toasted hulled pumpkin seeds which I think add a great finish to round out the flavors and texture. This is one of our new favorite dishes, even for my husband who previously has not been a big quinoa fan.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Black-Eyed Peas, and Corn
Serves 4-6

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

1/2 one large or 1 small butternut squash
1/2 red onion or 3 red torpedo onions, chopped or sliced
1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 c. frozen black-eyed peas
2 c. frozen white corn
1 T. ancho chili powder
1/2 t. smoked paprika
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Queso fresco cheese, for serving
Hulled toasted salted pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas), for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, peel, seed, and cut the butternut squash into small cubes. I peel the squash with a knife but a good vegetable peeler will work too. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the squash with the onion and coat with 1 T. olive oil and 1/2 t. kosher salt and stir to combine. Transfer to a sheet pan or rimmed cookie sheet and roast for about 45 minutes.

After the squash has been roasting for about 20 minutes, bring 3 cups of water, the 1 1/2 c. of quinoa, and 1 t. kosher salt to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. A few minutes before the quinoa is done, heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the black-eyed peas and corn and 1/2 t. kosher salt and saute a few minutes until heated through. Drain any excess water from the quinoa, remove the roasted squash and onions from the oven, and add everything to the skillet with the black-eyed peas and corn as well as the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne and stir to combine. Divide into plates or bowls and top with crumbled queso freso cheese and the hulled pumpkin seeds.

Winter Vegetable Gratin

I'll admit - I think this is one of the most beautiful dishes that I've created, and it's much easier and healthier than most gratins! I've been getting all sorts of different root vegetables in our CSA box - celery root, yukon gold potatoes, butternut squash (ok that's not a root vegetable but same idea), and watermelon radish. I suggest using any combination of root or fall hard vegetables in this dish: potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, hard squash like butternut or kabocha, even sugar pumpkin would be great. I happened to have the combination I talked about above - about 1 lb. each of celery root, butternut squash, a giant watermelon radish (yes, you can cook these and they taste similar to turnips), and yukon gold potatoes. Most gratins require making a bechamel sauce, which is delicious but not exactly heatlhy nor quick when you're also having to prep and arrange all of the vegetables. My version layers the vegetables with two cheeses, sage, and includes just a bit of lowfat milk poured over everything to bring it all together. The result was both gorgeous and delicious! I served this as a main dish with salad and bread, but it would also be a great side.

Winter Vegetable Gratin
Serves 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side

Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

4 lb. assorted hard winter/root vegetables (I used 4 varieties, 1 lb. each)
1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 c. freshly grated gruyere cheese
1/2 c. lowfat milk
1 T. fresh sage, finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and thinly slice all of the vegetables. Grease a large oval gratin dish or 9x13 baking dish. Arrange the vegetables in the first layer, alternating between the different types. The vegetables should be overlapping and create a relatively even, tight layer. Drizzle the first layer with a little extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, 1/3 of the parmesan cheese, 1/3 of the gruyere cheese, and 1/3 of the sage. Add the next layer of vegetables and drizzle the olive oil, add the pinch of salt, another 1/3 of each of the cheeses, and the sage. Top with the last layer of vegetables, drizzle with olive oil and the pinch of salt, then pour the 1/2 c. of milk over the dish. Top with the remaining cheeses and sage, then transfer to the oven and bake for approximately one hour until lightly golden. Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes, then cut into sections for serving.

Butternut Squash, Chard, and White Bean Orecchiette

Sometimes it's difficult to use up a whole butternut squash and not get sick of it. Unless I'm making soup, I generally buy them smaller in size, and use it in a few different recipes as an accent (i.e. the Fall Moroccan Tagine that I recently posted) rather than the feature of a dish. I actually used the other half of the butternut squash I had from making that dish (it keeps well in the fridge) to come up with this quick pasta using just a few ingredients that I had on hand - green swiss chard, a can of cannellini beans, and some orecchiette pasta. It was a great weeknight meal not only because it's well balanced - getting your vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates in one bowl - but also because it's relatively quick, and the flavors all went together even better than I expected. When the butternut squash is roasted and paired with the earthy beans and chard, it takes on more of a savory quality in this dish than sweet, and I think you'll like it! This makes enough for 2, but can easily be doubled for more people.

Butternut Squash, Chard, and White Bean Orecchiette
Serves 2

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small or about 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 bunch green, swiss, or rainbow chard, leaves removed and chopped
6 oz. orecchiette or other small pasta (shells would also work)
1 15 oz. can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the squash in a little olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and lay out on a sheet pan. Roast for about 30 minutes (mine went a little longer and was slightly browned on the bottom but still tasted great).

Meanwhile, heat a pot of water and cook the pasta until al dente, reserving 1/4 c. of the cooking water before draining. Additionally, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the chard, cover, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until wilted. Remove the lid, add the beans, and simmer over low heat until the pasta is done.

Combine the pasta, squash, greens/bean mixture, and cooking water along with 1 t. kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir for 1-2 minutes until everything combines and a light sauce forms. Divide into pasta bowls and serve.

Fall Moroccan Tagine

This was my first attempt at a Moroccan-style tagine and it was quite successful! Traditionally, a tagine is made in a special dome-shaped pot, but I found that using a dutch oven (or any large saucepan or stockpot with a lid) substituted just fine. This dish incorporates some classic tagine spices - coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, ginger, and cayenne, with butternut squash, carrots, sweet potato, chickpeas, dried apricots and olives. Other than prepping the ingredients, it's an easy dish to make, incredibly healthy and wonderfully warming on a fall evening. I served this over whole-wheat couscous, but quinoa or brown rice would also work well.

Fall Moroccan Tagine
Serves 4

Active Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 65-70 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and cut into small (~1/2'') pieces
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into small (~1/2'') pieces
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. green olives (such as castelvetrano)
1/2 c. dried apricots, chopped
1 t. coriander
1 t. cumin
1 t. turmeric
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. sweet paprika
1/2 t. ground ginger
Kosher salt

Toast the spices in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant, a few minutes, and set aside.

In a dutch oven or stockpot, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds, then stir in the spices. Add the carrots, sweet potato/yam, butternut squash, and apricots to the pan, along with 1 1/2 c. water and 1 t. salt. Cook for a minute longer until everything reheats, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chickpeas and olives, reduce heat to low, re-cover, and cook another 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt (I added another 1 t.), stir, and serve over whole-wheat couscous, quinoa, or brown rice.