Ingredient in Focus: Squash
I just loved writing my piece on the potato so much, I’ve decided to do the same again, this time highlighting squash. By this I mean any member of the pumpkin and butternut squash family, as we cannot afford to be fussy right now.
I am still at my new-ish boyfriend’s house and therefore still faced with his less than well stocked kitchen. As well as the herbs and spices I had before (paprika, mixed herbs, garam masala, tandoori mix, curry powder, and chili flakes) I have now added some garlic granules.
Now the reason I decided to focus on the squash is semi inspired by my culinary hero, Nigella Lawson, and her recipe of the day on her Instagram, A few weeks ago she shared a recipe for sweet potato macaroni cheese which got me thinking, can I do that with the butternut squash I have? After some Googling and recipe research it turned out absolutely yes, which leads me to my first suggestion.
PASTA SAUCE
Inspired by Nigella’s Instagram feed, I came across this recipe on BBC Good Food. I didn’t have sage and my version was ‘inspired by’ to say the very least. I boiled the squash and a lot of garlic with some mixed herbs and a stock cube then whizzed it up as best I could… using a potato masher… before stirring in cheese and ricotta cheese and some seasoning. I then cooked the pasta in the sauce, reserving some sauce to freeze for later, before placing in the oven and topping with mozarella.
What also seems to be amazing about this dish is there are a lot of versions of vegan mac and cheese that use similar methods, minus the cheese, to make a really comforting dish with the butternut squash adding sweetness and a familiar colour.
SALAD
The squash family is low in carbohydrates and rich in a lot of nutrients including antioxidants which is great for your body. If you’re looking for something healthier to bulk up your foods that isn’t high in calories, a squash can provide an interesting twist to any salad. I find squash just as filling as something like the potato, but it’s a lot healthier if you’re struggling to control your daily intake of calories. Plus, most varieties provide a fantastic burst of colour to your plate which is a fantastic way of boosting your mood.
PIE
Pumpkin pie isn’t just Autumnal and it isn’t just a tasty treat for our friends in the USA. If you’re craving pure, unadulterated comfort food then a pumpkin pie is a winner. A lot of recipes call for pie spice, but simply mix some nutmeg and cinnamon together and you’re more than halfway there. Similarly, pumpkin puree isn’t the easiest to come by but there are loads of tips for creating a pumpkin puree from scratch. You could even try using a different squash, if that’s what you have on hand.
CURRY
Vegetable curries are a great item to batch cook and they freeze really well if you’re looking to stock up your freezer. I’ve made quite a few adaptations of recipes from Nigella. There are a lot of ingredients but also so many substitutions you can make. Here are just a few:
Fresh turmeric/ ginger ---> use a powder
Chilli ---> chilli flakes
Squash / sweet potato ---> use other similar vegetables you have available such as normal potatoes or just use one if you don’t have both
Coconut milk ---> make your own by blending flaked coconut and water
SQUASH NOODLES
If you happen to have some time and a really, really good spiralizer (mine wouldn’t cut the mustard) then you could even make some noodles. Again, this is a fab way of cutting down the carbs of your meal without not feeling full, as well as adding some extra colour and nutrients. You can use these noodles in the place of pasta or rice with your favourite sauce or chilli or as part of a salad, a stir fry, or even with some summer rolls.
NUT ROAST
This is one of my absolute favourite nut roasts and is something that I always made for veggie and vegan friends in the run up to Christmas. It is definitely one of my top 5 vegan Christmas recipes and I make it year after year.
What I love about this is that, unlike most nut roasts that are really expensive and require about 10 different nuts, this just uses vac-packed chestnuts which are relatively cheap. Additionally for the layering I’ve tended to use where I can pre-made ‘butternut squash lasagne sheets’ and just not used the sweet potato at all, making this a lot easier and cheaper than any other nut roast I’ve made.
I’ve used the same idea of layering squash to also build mousakas and lasagnes, when I want something lighter.
Source: Olive Magazine
And there you have it, a few thoughts on using squash and pumpkins. I’d love to hear about the ways you use squash - the more creative the better. Enjoy and stay safe! I’m keeping my stories updated with my food adventures on Instagram, so for more potato based fun don’t hesitate to have a look!
Written by Alice Hargreaves
