The Single Girl's Butternut Squash

Happy New Year!

I was a tad busy in the fall, work got really busy, I was teaching 3 yoga classes a week, and took a class at Carleton. The list of things that didn't go out the window is much shorter than what did. I still walked my dog. I still showered.

Now, with some free time, I'm inspired to cook!

If you're an Ottawa dweller, you're probably familiar with the delights of Bridgehead. I'm in love with their ginger lemongrass tea. I suggest getting an extra large. Everyday. They also have tasty things for lunch, like a quinoa butternut squash salad, which I decided to re-create:

Quinoa

Roasted butternut squash, cubed

Raisins

Cilantro

For the dressing, I found one in a cookbook that my mum got me for Christmas:

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp honey

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

half a red chili, chopped

salt

Shake it up and pour onto your salad.

It was similar to the Bridgehead salad in that it had similar base ingredients, minus feta (feta is the only cheese I don't like). The dressing really made it it's own, sweet, garlicky, with a bit of kick. It's refreshing and flavourful, not too light for a day when it's -15 outside!

In addition to the cookbook I got for Christmas, I found a copy of a Moosewood Cookbook for $12.50. I tried a Chilean Squash casserole:

4 cups cooked butternut squash, puréed (thanks for the tip on making accents, M)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 tsp salt

2 small bell peppers, chopped (I used one red, one yellow)

5 cloves garlic, minced

black pepper and cayenne to taste (I used a lot of cayenne, using more of the stuff is one of my new years resolutions)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried coriander

1 tsp chili powder

Mix all of that jazz together, and put in a 9x9 pan, then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Not the most appetizing photo since it's the day after, but it's absolutely delicious. Spicy, the combo of peppers and squash is delicious, and to top if off with cheese, mMmMmM!

Two recipes with butternut squash? That's what happens when you're cooking for one and have an entire squash to eat up. So finally, I give you The Single Girl's Butternut Squash, not even three apples high: