If you’ve always reserved butternut squash for roasting and soups here is a new recipe for you. I’ve never been a huge fan of coleslaw, usually its too sweet and so laden with dressing that it’s a soggy mess. This is a version of coleslaw that I can really get into, sweet, crunchy and utterly refreshing. Butternut squash julienned into whisper thin slices, dressed lightly with a sweet vinaigrette and topped with cranberries and sunflower seeds it’s the perfect alternative to any slaw. It’s low calorie, chock full of nutrients and vegan so it makes the perfect potluck or party salad to take along. If you don’t have a julienne slicer use a large box grater instead, it won’t be quite as pretty but will still be delicious! If you don’t need it to be vegan a little crumbled feta or goat cheese would make it more substantial and be a nice counterpoint to the sweetness.
Butternut squash slaw
Ingredients:
- 3 cups butternut squash (about 1/2 of a 2 lb squash)
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Peel the butternut squash, use a box grater or julienne peel to get 3 cups of butternut and place in a medium sized bowl. Combine the honey, apple cider vinegar olive oil and lemon. Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasoning as needed, you may want to add more lemon or honey. Add the parsley, cranberries and sunflower seeds to the butternut squash, top with the dressing and gently toss.
Do you ever have to deal with picky eaters? In my house it’s a struggle to get anyone to try anything new or venture beyond mac and cheese and pizza. I find the easiest way to introduce something new is to sneak it into a soup or stew, like in this black bean and butternut chili.
When my son saw me cutting up the squash he wanted to know what I was going to do with that crazy looking thing and when I told him it was going to be part of dinner he looked less than excited. We have implemented a new house rule (at least as far as my son is concerned) that you must at least try something a few times before you can declare that you don’t like it. I have to admit that having a husband with a limited palate can be difficult when you are trying to get your child to keep an open mind. The list of foods that my husband won’t eat is too long to list here but at least he is learning not to make a face anymore when I serve something he doesn’t care for.
Luckily this was a real winner for everyone, and the butternut squash helps lighten it up and gives it a nice sweetness to balance all the spice. It didn’t hurt that I served it with some homemade cornbread and honey butter, delicious.
You can easily make this a vegan chili just by omitting the beef and substituting some extra beans or 1/2 cup of bulgar at the beginning of cooking. We also love to top our chili with some sliced avocado and greek yogurt or maybe even some sliced jalapenos if you dare.
Black Bean and Butternut Chili
Adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless short ribs, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo finely minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup dry red wine
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
Method:
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 teaspoon oil; swirl. Sprinkle beef with salt. Add beef to pan; sauté 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef.
- Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add onion; sauté 8 minutes until the onions are a deep golden brown. Add tomato paste, garlic, chipotle and spices; sauté 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine; bring to a boil, scraping pan. Cook 2 minutes. Return beef to pan.
- Stir in tomatoes and beans, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add butternut squash, and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is tender. To serve top chili with a tablespoon of cotija and a few sprigs of cilantro.
