Tag Archives: squash

Baked Zucchini Sticks

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Zucchini is in season and what a better way to prepare it than roll it in some almond meal, seasoning and parmesan cheese. Serve hot and crispy with your favorite marinara sauce.

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Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites, beaten
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 medium sliced zucchini – sliced into 3 x 1/2″ sticks
  • Marinara sauce for serving (optional)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place egg whites in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, oregano and garlic powder in a resealable plastic bag; shake well.
  • Working with a few at a time, dip zucchini sticks in egg whites to cover. Place in the plastic bag and gently shake to cover with breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded zucchini in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking oil. Repeat with remaining zucchini sticks.
  • Bake until golden and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through baking. Serve hot with ketchup or marinara sauce.

Modified from the original from PCC Natural Markets.

dit-elle-Esther

Winter Squash and Apple Galette

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This week I’m featuring two recipes using winter squash and apples! Today a Galette (French for a flat round pastry or bread) and on Thursday, check back for Winter Squash and Apple Soup. These dishes are excellent served together as a meal or as separate dishes! I made these for lunch recently when we were having one of the first damp, cold and rainy days here in Seattle. It was a wonderful meal to cheer up the day. 🙂

This is a great recipe for leftover roasted squash since you do need to cook it before putting into the shell here, but it is otherwise quick and easy to assemble!

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound winter squash – peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
  • 1/2 apple – halved, cored and cut into thin wedges
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (or parmesan works great as well)
  • 1 prepared pie crust (I use a gluten free version)
  • 1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Toss squash with oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven until tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add apples and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; toss with squash and blue cheese.
  • Place pie crust flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Mound squash mixture in the middle of crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold border over filling, pleating the edge (the center will be open). Brush edges with egg wash.
  • Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into wedges before serving.

Super Mom Tip: 1) Use leftover baked squash and save a step! 2) Don’t have time to work on the pleating and egg washing the crust? I didn’t either. I just tossed the filling and baked it in the crust and voila! I’m sure it tastes just as good!

Thanks to and inspired by the recipe on PCC Natural Markets!

dit-elle-Esther

Savory Delicata Squash

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Not only are pumpkins in season, but there’s an abundance and huge variety of beautiful squash out there. This recipe calls for “Delicata” squash and you can eat the peel – which is full of good nutrients too.

A dusting of curry powder and freshly chopped cilantro make this a wonderful, subtly flavored, side dish! Actually, I could probably eat this as a main dish! So yummy! 🙂savory squash

Ingredients

  • About 6 cups of your favorite squash cubed (I used Delicata squash, including skins, and it was delicious!)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 Tbsps fresh chopped cilantro
  • Salt/pepper

Directions

  • Oven to 425*
  • Toss cubed squash in oil and season with salt & pepper
  • Place in a large pan
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until soft enough to easily spear with a fork
  • Remove from oven and toss with remaining ingredients
  • Serve hot or at room temperature

Super Mom Tip: Cube the squash a day ahead and store in a bag in the fridge until ready to use.

dit-elle-Esther

Paleo Spaghetti.. before the Italians even invented Spaghetti!

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I was inspired by Elana’s Pantry’s post on how to EASILY make Spaghetti Squash. It IS super easy, super fun, and makes super awesome paleo noodles! 🙂 Yes it takes a while to bake, but plan ahead, throw this squash in the oven while you are doing other things and the actual preparation part (scraping out the flesh into noodles takes <1 minute)! Serve with a hearty Bolognese meat sauce, like this Paleo Sloppy Joe’s sauce, or simply as a dessert with some butter (or coconut butter) and cinnamon! 🙂

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Ingredients

  • One large spaghetti squash (~3 lbs)

Directions

  1. Place whole (uncut) spaghetti squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
  2. Bake at 350° for 60-80 minutes
  3. Allow to cool
  4. Cut squash open (long side) with a knife
  5. Scoop out seeds
  6. Scrape the flesh out of the squash into stringy noodles
  7. Voila!

dit-elle-Esther

Velvety squash soup

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Ah, squash season is upon us. It’s fall, it’s raining in Seattle, and with a hint of curry and ginger, this squash soup will truly warm your mind, body and soul! This recipe is pretty straight forward, but it does take a while to make given that the squash needs to be cooked first. Squash soup

This soup pairs well with bacon wrapped dates! Dates

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash (~3 lbs)
  • 1 large acorn squash (~2 lbs)
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 apple
  • 2 tsps canola or olive oil
  • 5 c. chicken broth
  • 2 Tbsp molasses
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pinch of ground red pepper
  • 2/3 cup coconut milk or half-and-half
  • Garnish: fresh thyme

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425*
  • Cut each squash and the apple in half lengthwise; discard seeds/membranes. Place, cut sides down on a greased baking sheet
  • Toss onion and oil and spread around squash in pan
  • Bake @ 425 for 45 minutes or until squash and onion are tender
  • Cool and scoop out squash pulp from skins, discard skins
  • Place onion, squash and apple in large pot and add broth, molasses and spices
  • Bring to a simmer and then remove from heat
  • Use a hand blender (also called inversion blender) and blend until smooth
  • Return to heat and stir in coconut milk or half-and-half
  • Cook until heated
  • Garnish with thyme and some additional coconut milk

Paleo note: omit molasses and use coconut milk for a delightful and truly paleo soup!

Super mom tip: this is another dish that can be made in a big batch and frozen in smaller portions for easy reheating!

dit-elle-Esther