Squash and Lentil Curry

To go with the Saag Paneer I made a Squash and Lentil Curry, it was gently spicy rather than mega spicy but the flavour was delicious.

Squash and Lentil Curry (from Oh She Glows)
(Serves 4-6)

1 tsp oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
1l vegetable stock
200g red lentils
1 butternut squash, cooked
fresh grated ginger, to taste
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Saute for about 5 mins over a low-medium heat.

Stir in the curry powder and cook for another couple of mins. Add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins.

Stir in the cooked butternut squash and cook over a medium heat for about 5-8 mins. Season with salt, pepper, and add some freshly grated ginger to taste.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

My Mum gave me a small butternut squash that she had grown last summer and so I was on the look out for recipes. The first was the Chicken Laksa I made a couple of weeks ago and then I found this mac and cheese recipe. It was really simple to make and a lovely addition of veg made it feel healthy.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese (from Pinch of Yum)
(Serves 4)

250g dried macaroni
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion
1 small butternut squash, cut into small cubes
1l chicken or vegetable stock
175ml milk
1 tsp salt
75g cheese

Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the butter in a large  frying pan over medium low heat. Add the onion to the pan, and sauté over a low heat until fragrant and golden, about 20 mins.

Bring the broth to a boil and add the squash. Cook for 5-7 mins or until fork tender. Drain, reserving 125ml of the stock, and transfer the squash to the blender. Add the onions, milk, salt, and reserved stock and puree until completely smooth and creamy.

Pour the pureed sauce over the pasta and add the grated cheese. Stir to melt the cheese; add water or milk to adjust the consistency as needed. Serve.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals: Thai Chicken Laksa

This is possibly one of the best things I have made recently. I loved the flavours and it was so easy to make. I used beans instead of asparagus as that's what I had in the fridge but the addition of butternut squash was just genius.

Thai Chicken Laksa (from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals)
(Serves 4)

For the chicken
4 skinless, boneless higher-welfare chicken thighs
1 heaped tsp Chinese five-spice
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 fresh red chilli

For the laksa
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
1 butternut squash, (neck end only)
2 cloves garlic
1 thumb-sized piece ginger
1 fresh red chilli
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ bunch spring onions
1 heaped tsp peanut butter
4 dried kaffir lime leaves
½ bunch fresh coriander
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
300g medium rice noodles
2 bunches asparagus, (600g)
1 x 400 g tin of light coconut milk
3 limes

Ingredients out, Kettle boiled, Griddle pan, high heat, Large lidded pan, high heat, Food processor (coarse grater & bowl blade)

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the five-spice. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin. Place on the hot griddle pan, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through. Pour about 800ml of boiling water into the large pan and crumble in the stock cube

Trim the stalk off the squash, roughly chop the neck end (don't peel, and keep the seed end for another day), then grate and tip into the boiling stock. Swap to the bowl blade in the processor and add the peeled garlic and ginger, the chilli, turmeric, trimmed spring onions, peanut butter, dried lime leaves, coriander stalks (reserving the leaves), sesame oil, soy and fish sauces. Blitz to a paste, then tip into the stock and add the noodles

Trim the asparagus and cut in half. Add to the pan, pour in the coconut milk, and as soon as it boils, taste, correct the seasoning with soy sauce and lime juice, then turn the heat off. Drizzle the honey over the charred chicken, squeeze over the juice of 1 lime, scatter with the sesame seeds and toss to coat. Serve with the laksa and lime wedges, sprinkling everything with the coriander leaves and slices of fresh chilli.

Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup

This was a lovely, very simple, just slightly spicy soup.

I used a combination of squashes from my Mum's garden, one small and orange and the other was a small green butternut squash. I've never seen a green one before and my mum said she didn't remember planting it! But it had the same raw texture as a butternut squash.

 

Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup (from Tinned Tomatoes)

(Serves 4)

1 butternut squash, sliced, de-seeded and cubed

1 onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic

a glug of olive oil

400 tin tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground ginger

salt and pep

500ml vegetable stock
 

Preheat the oven 220C.

Put the butternut squash, onion and garlic into a roasting pan and spray with cooking spray, toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 mins until soft and charred at the edges.

Add the roast veg, tomatoes, tomato puree, spices, seasoning and stock to a blender and whizz until smooth. Serve.

Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Burgers

In between all that leftover lamb I made some veggie burgers. They had been at the back of my mind for sometime and I finally had all of the ingredients to make them. They were very tasty and felt very wholesome. I served them on a wholemeal bun with lettuce, tomato and barbecue sauce.

Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Burgers (from Veg Hot Pot)

(Serves 4)

150g dried red lentils
1/2 butternut squash, peeled and sliced
6 spring onions
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbsp gram flour
small bunch coriander stalks, finely chopped
olive oil

Cook the lentils in boiling water according to packet instructions, until they are tender and split open but not completely broken down. Drain and allow to cool.

Heat the oven to 200C. Spray the butternut squash with cooking spray and roast in the oven for 20-25 mins. Leave to cool and then mash with a potato masher.

Put the lentils, butternut squash, finely sliced spring onions, crushed garlic, spices, flour and coriander stalks in a large bowl. Gently mix together with your hands and when fully combined shape into 4 burgers and place them on a plate in the fridge for at least half an hour.

When ready to cook heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan and fry the burgers for around 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned and hot all the way through. Or cook in a preheated oven for 20-30 mins until golden.

Rice Krispie Chicken with Butternut Squash and Rosemary Wedges

Ok so this is not the healthiest meal but it is kinda fun! I saw the Rice Krispie Chicken recipe playing on a screen at one of the central London tube stations, and as you know I love trying new a different things to batter fish and chicken with so I had to try it. It was well sweet but actually not as horribly sweet as I was thinking it might be. The butternut squash wedges were a bit of a disappointment as they weren't crispy at all but they had a nice flavour all the same.

Rice Krispie Chicken with Butternut Squash and Rosemary Wedges
(from Food Network and WeightWatchers Magazine)
(Serves 4)

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips

250g Rice Krispies

butter, for greasing

mayonnaise, for dipping

salt and pepper

 

2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into wedges

cooking spray

2 sprigs rosemary

1/2 tsp chilli flakes or chilli powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Put the squash wedges in a roasting pan and spray with cooking spray, shake the pan to coat the wedges.

Add the rosemary sprigs ad sprinkle with the chilli, salt and garlic. Roast for 45 to 45 mins or until tender.

Put the cereal and some salt and pepper in a bowl and crumble with your fingers until lightly crushed.

Put the mayonnaise into a bowl, ready for dipping.

Put the butternut squash wedges into the oven and roast for 40 to 45 mins or until tender.

Dip each piece of chicken first in the mayonnaise, shaking off any excess, before dipping in the crushed cereal.

Place the dipped chicken on the baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 35 mins until golden, turning half way through cooking.

Butternut Squash, Red Pepper and Soft Cheese Soup

It is definitely now the weather for soup, so even though I've been making loads of soup over the summer, the season for it has finally arrived! I'm not usually a fan of butternut squash, I got very ill from eating mussels once and I'd had butternut squash stew earlier in the day and still associate the two, but I thought it was time to try it again. I'm still not sure I could eat chunks of the stuff but whizzed up in soup it's different. This was really tasty and creamy especially with the addition of the cream cheese.

Butternut Squash, Red Pepper and Soft Cheese Soup (adapted from www.weightwatchers.co.uk)
(Serves 4)
(1 WW ProPoint per serving)

cooking spray
1 onion, chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
1 pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 veg stock cubes, dissolved in 1.2 litres water
150 ml skimmed milk
100g extra light soft cheese
1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
salt and pepper

Spray a large saucepan with low fat cooking spray. Add the onion and cook gently for about 3 minutes, until softened, but not browned.

Add the butternut squash, red pepper and vegetable stock. Heat until simmering, then cook gently for about 25 minutes, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the soft cheese and using a hand blender, blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Add the milk and chopped chives. Reheat and season to taste.

Ladle into warmed bowls and serve.