3 Easy Baked Butternut Recipes

Squash, squash, squash. It’s cheap, nutritious, easy to make, and very plentiful here: butternut, pumpkin, and gem squash (which is a little bit like acorn squash). If you make the following baked butternut, you can mash it and serve it alongside paleche for a healthier alternative to the traditional side, make it into pancakes, pasta sauce, or just grab a spoon and eat it out of the shell. Maybe it’s my Native American heritage, but I really like to use the whole thing: roast the seeds alongside, and then salt and bake the skins afterward for an extra little crunch. You can also make pumpkin or gem in the same way, but I don’t think the skins are edible…I guess you can let me know on that one J

Baked Butternut

2 small butternut squash (substitutes: pumpkin, gem, or acorn)

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Cinnamon

Halve the butternuts, scoop out the seeds, and separate the seeds from the stringy parts. Generously salt and pepper the halves and the seeds. Generously sprinkle cinnamon on the insides of the squash. Place halves cut side down on a cookie sheet that has been greased with olive oil. Spread seeds on one end of the cookie sheet that will face the oven door. Bake for 20-30 minutes in 190C oven. (Note: if you use larger squash you will need to bake longer and remove the seeds early, as they turn brown). When the outside skin starts to wrinkle- it’s done!

Butternut Pancakes

1 egg

3/4 c. buttermilk

2 T. oil

½ c. baked butternut

½ c. whole-wheat flour

½ c. white flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

½ t. salt

Whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and oil. Smash the butternut into the mixture. Add flours, soda, powder, and salt. Stir just until moistened. Cook with a drop of oil on a hot griddle. (Note: the basis for this recipe comes from the whole wheat pancake recipe in "More with Less")

Butternut Primavera Sauce

½ onion (diced)

1 t. olive oil

2 cloves garlic (smashed)

1 small can tomato paste

1 to 1 ½ c. chicken stock

1 t. oregano

1 c. diced baked butternut

1 c. shredded spinach

Salt

Pepper

Saute onion and garlic in oil over low heat (Use a small splash of chicken stock to deglaze the pan if it starts to burn). When onion turns golden, add tomato paste and cook until aromatic. Slowly add chicken stock and simmer until thickened. Add oregano, butternut, and spinach. Let simmer. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over any kind of pasta.