December 15, 2015
Another roasted veggie recipe? You might be scratching your head and wondering if the world already has enough of these. I’m not offering anything revolutionary here. In fact, this is a bit of a redux of a similar roasted veggie recipe I posted not too long ago.
However, this is what I’ve been eating lately. It’s my go-to lunch when I want something simple, satisfying, and quick to prepare. Sometimes it’s dinner, when I am short on time and long on hunger.
This reimagining of my previous roasted veggies meal was inspired by the abundance of acorn squashes that kept turning up in my CSA. This is why I love having a CSA membership, by the way. Ordinarily, I’d avoid acorn squashes. I don’t like “stuffing them” with quinoa salad, like many recipes would have you do. Their tough outer shell has made me resistant to their charms for a long time. Although I’ve made a few acorn squash dishes I’ve enjoyed in the past, I haven’t loved them enough to make them a part of my regular rotation.
Then I had the idea of treating them like any old squash. Scraping off the hard outer skin and roasting them like I would a butternut or kabocha worked like a charm. So now I present you with my new favorite acorn squash recipe. I’m a happy camper because I’m actually using up all of the acorn squash I receive in my CSA and I’m broadening my veggie palate.
Patting myself on the back now.
Enjoy!
Roasted Acorn Squash, Sweet Potato, and Cauliflower with Kale, Quinoa and Miso-Tahini Sauce~
(serves 2)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup acorn squash, skinned and cut into small chunks
1/2 cup sweet potato, cut into small chunks
1 cup cauliflower, torn into bite size pieces
sesame oil
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
a big bunch of kale, torn into smaller, bite-size pieces
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tbs coconut oil
salt and pepper to taste
for tahini-miso sauce~
2 scoops miso paste (about 2 heaping Tbs)
1/3 cup tahini
2 Tbs lemon juice
water (to thin the sauce)
Directions:
Cook your quinoa in the water. Should take about 10-15 minutes. Once quinoa is fluffy and water is absorbed, remove from heat.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Combine veggies in a bowl with sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes. The squash should be fork-tender; the cauliflower might be slightly browned.
To make the tahini-miso dressing, combine the tahini, miso and lemon juice in a small measuring cup. Mix thoroughly, adding a little water in to help thin the sauce and make it more pourable.
Heat a the coconut oil in a wok or pan. Add in the kale and a dash of salt. Cook for a minute or so and then add in the pumpkin seeds. Cook until the kale is bright green and slightly wilted.
Combine the quinoa, kale, and roasted veggies in 2 separate bowls. Add sauce as you like. Mix well and enjoy!
P.S. this dish is great with or without the sauce. I happen to enjoy it with, but Nathan likes it plain. For those wondering about protein, cauliflower actually has a substantial amount of protein. Quinoa is also a complete protein. And the miso-tahini sauce gives the dish a calcium boost since sesame seeds are high in calcium. So not only is this meal delicious, but ultra healthy, too!
