Sweet Dumpling Squash with Orange-Scented Quinoa Stuffing

When roasted, the skin of a dumpling squash gets tender and delicious.  Cut the roasted squash into boat shapes, rings, or make little “pots” out of them as explained below before stuffing for different presentations.  Other squash, such as carnival or acorn squash would suitable substitutions; just note the skin on these squash cannot be eaten!

6 small dumpling squash (one per person)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing squash

2 cups quinoa

3 ½ cups water

½ teaspoon sea salt

6 shallots

1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons mirin

3 stalks celery, diced

1 cup dried cranberries

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons walnut oil (or more extra virgin olive oil)

2 tablespoons fresh orange zest

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

4 cups lightly packed washed baby spinach

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roasting Squash

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Wash squash well.  Rub each squash with oil and place whole on parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Bake 45 minutes or until just soft (time will vary depending on size of squash).  Remove from oven and set aside.

Preparing Quinoa

Rinse and drain quinoa.  Place in a large pot with water and salt and bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat and summer 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.  Set aside to cool slightly.  (Can be done the day before, or use leftover cooked quinoa for a shortcut!)

Preparing Stuffing

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté shallots and mushrooms in oil until soft.  Add mirin, celery, cranberries, and nutmeg and sauté 3 minutes longer.  Fluff quinoa with fork and add to the skillet.  Remove from heat, fold in pine nuts, walnut oil, orange zest, parsley and spinach.  Continue stirring until spinach has wilted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assembling

Carefully cut a circle around the stem of each squash to remove the “lid”.  Scoop out seeds and fill with stuffing.  Top with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, set lid on the side and serve.

Serves 6

Preparation time: about 1 hour

Adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters

Sesame Ginger “Spaghetti” Squash

I Cooked this delicious squash recipe the other day and fell in love with it!   I found it over at Katrina’s blog, “Delicious Yet Nutritious,” which was adapted from family Fresh Cooking.  Give it a try!

From the blog, “Delicious Yet Nutritious”: http://deliciousyetnutritious.blogspot.com/2012/09/ginger-sesame-spaghetti-squash-noodles.html

Servings: 2-3

1 large spaghetti squash

3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1.3 cup chopped onions

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds – toss them or save them to make roasted squash seeds.  Place squash cut side down in a large baking dish.  Roast until flesh is easily pierced with a fork – about 35 minutes.  Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Heat sesame oil over medium heat and add ginger, red pepper flakes, and garlic.  Sauté until really fragrant – about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Using a kitchen towel to hold the skin side of the squash (it will still be really warm) use a fork to scrape the strands of squash (stem to base) into a serving bowl.

Poor sesame mixture over the squash and add tamari, vinegar, sesame seeds, green onions, cilantro, and edamame

Indonesian Squash and Spinach Soup

From Sundays at Moosewood

1 t coriander seeds

1 t cumin seeds

1t turmeric

2 small dried chiles

15 blanched almonds (or macademia or candlenuts)

2 slices dried laos root (I didn’t use)

1 large onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3 T vegetable oil

2 t grated peeled fresh ginger

1 t salt

2 cups vegetable stock or water (I use stock)

a few whole small curry leaves (optional – I left out)

14 oz can coconut milk

4 cups peeled and cubed butternut or acorn squash

6 small handfuls fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

fresh lime or lemon juice

Grind the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chiles and nuts in a small spice grinder, with a mortar and pestle, or with about ½ c water in a blender (I just ground in a bowl using a fork).

If using the laos root, simmer it in 1 c of water for at least 20 min, replenishing with water as necessary to maintain ½ c of liquid. When the laos root is soft, chop it into bite-sized pieces and reserve it along with the ½ c of cooking liquid.

In a soup pot, briefly sauté the onions and garlic in the oil. Add the ginger and salt and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the stock and the ground spice mixture to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the laos root and curry leaves, if using.

Stir in the coconut milk and the squash and gently simmer, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, until the squash is tender. Stir in the chopped spinach and allot it to just wilt. Remove the pot from the heat, squeeze in lemon or lime juice to taste and serve at once.

Note: many variations are possible. Keep to the basic idea, though, of one chunky and one leafy vegetable. Among the chunky, I use eggplant, summer squash or zucchini, or large cucumbers, seeded; among the leafy, I use Chinese cabbage, beet greens, Swiss chard or kale.

A delicate, hard vegetable such as zucchini probably wants the company of a delicate, leafy one such as Chinese cabbage. A heartier one such as eggplant is best with spinach, beet greens or chard. The procedure is the same, just stir in the greens at the end.

Azuki Beans and Squash

1 c Dry azuki beans

1 Strip kombu; 6 - 8 inches long

1 c Buttercup squash; acorn or other winter squash, cubed but not peeled

1/2 ts Sea salt

Wash beans, cover with water and soak for 6 - 8 hours. Put kombu on bottom of pot and cover with the squash. Next add soaked, drained beans. Add water to just cover the squash layer. Do not cover the beans at the beginning.

Place the bean mixture over low heat and bring to a boil slowly. Cover after about 10 - 15 minutes. Cook until beans are 70 - 80% done, about 1 hour or so. The water will evaporate as the beans expand, add more cold water as required to keep level constant and make beans soft. When beans are nearly done, add sea salt, cook another 15 - 30 minutes.

Transfer to serving bowl. Serve with brown rice.

Just Bean Recipes is located at www.justbeanrecipes.com