Even though it might be the end of January and the holiday roasting is long gone, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on roasted veggies completely. In fact, you might find that a warm, comforting vegetable dish suits you much better than a raw salad, especially for dinner when the temps are colder and the light is dim.
And for those of you stuck in a snow storm – you might find that any warmth you can get is much appreciated right about now.
We are snow-free here (as usual), but the temps were a bit colder this morning. We have been up in the 60’s lately, and this morning is dropped to the 30’s and 40’s for most of the AM. For lunch, I had a warm soup, and when I started thinking about warm foods, I remembered I still had this delicious, and a bit fancy, dinner recipe to share with you.
It is a simple stuffed squash, but instead of the usual ingredients, it has a few fun items to switch things up a bit. You’ll swap acorn squash for a larger, deeper kabocha squash. And instead of stuffing with rice or another grain, you’ll use creamy, mashed cauliflower.
*If you don’t have kabocha squash near you, you can use acorn, butternut, or any other variety. available.
- 1 kabocha squash
- 1 head cauliflower
- ½ cup plain, unsweetened cashew milk (or other option)
- *optional 1 tbsp vegan butter
- pinch sea salt
- dash of black pepper
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Cut squash in half and remove seeds.
- Place right side up in a casserole pan roast for 40 minutes until softened. Brush with olive oil if desired.
- While roasting, chop and steam cauliflower.
- Once soft, place in a large bowl with non-dairy milk, vegan butter, salt and pepper.
- Mash by hand or use an electric mixer until you reach the desired consistency.
- Once the squash is roasted, remove from oven and stuff with cauliflower mixture.
- Pop back in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp up the top.
- For a little garnish, top with a sprinkle of your favorite herb or leafy green.
- **For time saving, you can always roast the squash upside down in your pan, covering the bottom of the pan with some water. This is a steam/roast method that cuts the time in half, but leaves it less "roasted" in texture and flavor.
How are you keeping warm this week? I’d love to hear.
Peace and Love,
Jessi
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