The squash are so beautiful and abundant right now. Fall harvest is so grounding. As the weather changes, we start to nestle in, grounding ourselves and our homes after the busy extroversion of summer. Grounding foods are very supportive so enjoy them in your meals.
These speak for themselves and are a meal unto themselves. They also keep in the fridge and get better as the flavors blend. They freeze really well. You can make a different batch weekly and freeze them. Then you can have different flavors and combos to choose from. I get sick of eating the same things over and over again.
Grain and Veggie Stuffed Squash
Forbidden rice, brown rice, wild rice, black beans, lentils, quinoa, amarynth. Cook according to the instructions on the back of the bag. You can use any single or combo of any of these grains. Make enough for 2 servings.
4-6 oz Tofu, tempeh, any meat or sausage.
1 onion, shallot or leek, small diced
1/2 clove of garlic chopped
1 carrot, small diced
1 celery, small diced
2-3 squash, delicata is perfect (you can eat the skin) halved
4 shitake, small diced
1/2 bunch of spinach, chopped
1/2 c goat cheese, optional
Fresh basil chopped
2 Tbl olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 c Balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub whatever halved veggie with oil, salt and pepper. Bake until fully cooked. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbl oil. Add meats or tofu and brown thoroughly cooking. Remove from heat. Heat 1 Tbl of oil and add onion. Sautee for 2 minutes then add chopped garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add the rest of the veggies. Sautee until golden and cooked aldente. Add cooked meat and tofu to the veggies. Add the cooked grains to the mix. Add the fresh herbs and goat cheese. You can mix in shredded cheese, herb oils or fresh pestos. Adjust flavors to your liking. Stuff the halved veggies that have been pre-cooked. Cover with shredded cheese if you’d like and bake for about 20 minutes until golden. While the veggies are baking, put the vinegar in a pot on the stove and cook over low heat until it is reduced by half and is now a glaze. Drizzle glaze as a garnish over the finished stuffed veggies before serving. This is a great recipe to double or triple and throw in the fridge as leftovers or the freezer for later. Also the size or the veggies is going to change the amounts of stuffing. Also play around with the veggies and spices you use in this recipe. You can add cumin, cilantro and chili for instance topping with salsa and guacamole to add a Mexican flair. Or stir fry the veggies with ginger, tamari, peanut sauce, coconut milk (omit goat cheese) for an Asian flair.
Pesto
Pestos are a great way to get nutrients and add flavor to dishes. They are also perfect for preserving the herbs in your garden. I use basil, parsley and arugula. Sometimes I mix them.
*Grind approx ½ c of nuts/seeds (whatever you like, toasted is yummiest but not as nutritious as raw) with 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper (or to taste).
*Add ¼ c of nutritional yeast, optional
*Add 5 c herbs, washed and de-stemmed
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*Add 1 ½ c oil. Traditionally it’s olive oil but play with it. Try different oils for different flavors and nutrients. Pour in a steady stream while food process is running.
