It’s almost Thanksgiving, aka the most wonderful time of the year! (Wait. Nope. that’s Christmas, but Christmas lights are up in my neighborhood already, so I’m a little confused…. )
Food-wise, this IS most definitely the best time of year to cook with foods you don’t normally use.
Pumpkins/ gourds and squash are all in-season and they certianly make for a hearty, vegetarian/vegan meal, or an elegant side-dish to any to a meal, especially your Thanksgiving dinner!
I especially love cooking with winter squash. There’s acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, kabocha squash, just to name a few.
I picked up this acorn squash from our local farmers market the other day. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but I knew there were lots of options.
You can slice it and roast it, or use the roasted insides to blend into a yummy soup (just add a little almond milk, olive oil, warm spices like turmeric, curry, salt and pepper).
You can also cube it and pan fry it to make a nice stir-fry dish. Lots of possibilities!
I decided I wanted to make a side dish to complement our fish dinner.
I like to reserve my sugar intake for sweet treats, so I opted to make this dish simple, more savory, less sweet. (I mean if I’m going to have sugar in something, I’m not going to have it in a vegetable, it’ll be in a big fat brownie, or other dessert.)
I kept the seasoning basic, sliced my squash into 1/2 inch thick slices and then popped it into the oven.
You simply bake it until the skin gets tender and then serve it.
I always like to elevate my dishes and toasting seeds is an easy way to do that.
You can use pine-nuts, pumpkin seeds, chopped cashews, or sliced almonds.
I used pepitas here (pepitas are basically pumpkin seeds, they’re a little smaller and oval, have no shell and are found in squash).
I lightly toasted them in a pan on the stove, then sprinkled them over the top of the roasted squash to complete the dish.
The result… a tender, savory dish that is simple, yet is full of flavor.
The toasted pepitas give it a nice nutty, crunch. You also get notes of olive oil and a very subtle kick from the cayenne. You can eat the entire thing too, skins and all, so don’t be shy!
For a little more flavor you could even add in some fresh herbs. Sprinkle chopped rosemary or parsley over the top. I also like to add a little maple syrup to the marinade during the holidays for a delicious side dish.
This is definitely a dish to try if you want to wow your guests. It looks really fancy on the table, yet takes little effort to make. Just slice, season and bake!
I hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving! 🙂
Roasted Acorn Squash and Toasted Pepitas Ingredients:
- 1 acorn squash
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
- dash of cracked pepper
- dash of cayenne pepper (or chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary (optional)
- 1/4 c. pepitas
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a very sharp knife, cut squash in half, down the middle, use a spoon to scrape out seeds and flesh.
- Place squash flat onto cutting board (skin side up), cut into even slices, 1/2 inch thick.
- Place slices onto baking sheet. Drizzle with marinade: olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, rosemary and nutritional yeast (optional) and coat evenly.
- Bake 45 to 50 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Lightly toast 1/4 cup pepitas in a pan on the stove, tossing until lightly brown. (No oil needed!)
- Serve squash with pepitas and enjoy!
*I love to turn things into a salad. You can scoop out cooked squash and place on salad with a vegan caesar dressing… delicious!
