Creamy One-Pot Pasta with Butternut Squash, Kale & White Beans

I came across this recipe yesterday and was immediately intrigued for a few reasons:

  • It used a bunch of produce we have on our farm right now (butternut squash, kale, & garlic)

  • It was vegetarian (perfect for that meatless Monday trend)

  • It was a creamy pasta dish (because, duh, what better comfort food is there?!)

  • AND it was still high in protein and all-around pretty balanced

I was hooked! I had most the ingredients on hand, so I went for it… The verdict? I’m so glad I did! I’ve had some not so great experiences with one-pot pastas in the past, leaving me with a runny mixture of seemingly random ingredients, but this one turned out perfectly. The original recipe called for fresh basil and pumpkin seeds, which I didn’t have on hand at the time, so I made a few tweaks to fit my pantry. It was quick, easy, and pretty darn tasty. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

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*Serves: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 -- 13 minutes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons dried basil

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 small lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

6 cloves garlic

1 (15-ounce) can white kidney beans

12 ounces dried spaghetti

1 cup butternut squash purée (can sub sweet potato or pumpkin purée)

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

3 cups loosely-packed kale

¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Finely grate the zest of ½ a small lemon. Combine with the dried basil and red pepper flakes, then whisk in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir to combine; set aside. Halve the lemon and set aside.

  2. Thinly slice 6 garlic cloves and add to a large straight-sided skillet (we like this one) or Dutch oven. Drain and rinse 1 can white kidney beans. Add 1/2 the beans, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 12 ounces spaghetti, 1 cup canned butternut squash purée, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

  3. Add 4 ½ cups water and bring to a boil over high heat (this will take about 5 minutes). Boil the mixture, stirring and turning the pasta with tongs to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente and almost all the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. In the last two minutes of cooking, add 3 cups baby kale.

  4. Remove from the heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of the plain Greek yogurt, the remaining beans, the shredded mozzarella, the herbed oil mixture, and the juice from ½ the lemon. Stir with tongs, and taste, adding more lemon juice and salt as needed. Divide the pasta between 6 bowls and garnish each bowl with the shredded Parmesan cheese, and more black pepper.

Recipe Note:

To reheat leftovers, warm in a skillet with a splash of water, tossing until the sauce loosens up and is creamy. Season with salt, to taste, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Recipe slightly modified from: https://www.thekitchn.com/one-pot-pasta-recipes-261459

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Today’s freezing temperatures and blustery wind have me craving more soup. Do you feel it too? This recipe is sure to warm you through and through thanks to the flavours of ginger and Thai curry paired with comforting butternut squash and coconut milk. As a bonus, you’ll get a generous dose of vitamins A and C thanks to the squash, and a hit of protein and iron offered up by the red lentils.

The iron found in plant-based proteins is called non-heme iron and is a bit harder for our bodies to absorb than heme iron (found in meat). However, pairing non-heme iron with Vitamin C increases absorption. See where I’m going? The Vitamin C from the squash will work in tandem with the iron in the lentils to fuel you more efficiently. Another bonus of red lentils are their quick-cooking nature and their tendency to start to disintegrate when cooked. This makes them essentially impossible to detect; a great way to power up the picky people in your lives!

Give it a try today and let me know what you think.

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*Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 –2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (depending on your spice preference; I used 2!)

1 can coconut milk

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 carrot, diced

½ cup red lentils

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a medium pot, over medium heat. Place 1 piece of diced onion in the pot to test the temperature of the oil. Once the onion starts to sizzle, add the remaining onion.

  2. Sauté the onion for 1-2 minutes, until it begins to soften. Then, add the diced bell pepper and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes.

  3. Once the vegetables have softened, and onion has started to become translucent, add the ginger powder, salt, pepper, and Thai curry paste. Mix to combine.

  4. Next, add the coconut milk. Stir to combine, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan, gathering up all of those flavourful bits that may have started to stick!

  5. Add the vegetable broth, again stirring to combine.

  6. Finally, add the butternut squash, carrot, and red lentils. Stir to combine, then place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil.

  7. Once the pot reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.

  8. At this point, the butternut squash should be soft, and the lentils should have started to disintegrate.

  9. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and glossy.

  10. Top with your favourite roasted winter veggie and serve with a slice of whole wheat bread for a filling and nutritious meal. Enjoy!

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD

Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll-Ups

This recipe combines some of my all-time favourite winter foods - lasagna and squash! I don't know about you, but warm, comforting, and filling dishes are a must to get me through windy, snowy days like this one. Pairing butternut squash with whole wheat lasagna noodles makes for a meal that's high in fibre and will keep you feeling full. The squash also boasts a hefty serving of Vitamin A, which helps keep our eyes, skin, and immune system healthy. 

Ingredients:
2 cups butternut squash, cooked & mashed
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon butter
2 cups plain, low-sodium tomato sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, if you like some heat!)
6 whole-wheat lasagna noodles, cooked
¼ cup walnuts
1 small log reduced-fat goat cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Prepare 2 9x13 pans – 1 for the squash, and 1 for the completed lasagna. The pan for the lasagna needs to be sprayed with cooking spray, while the pan for the squash does not.

  3. In the meantime, prep the squash for cooking. To bake, slice squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place halves skin-side down in a 9x13 baking and add a ½ inch of water around them. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until flesh is soft and easy to scoop.

  4. While squash is baking, cook the lasagna noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and place noodles on a cookie sheet lined with a dish towel to cool. Set aside.

  5. Gather 2 cups of cooked squash, and add brown sugar and butter. Mash together and set aside.

  6. Mix the herbs & spices into the tomato sauce. Set aside.

  7. Once the above ingredients are prepped, you can begin to assemble the lasagna.

  8. Start by spreading approximately 2 tablespoons of goat cheese on each lasagna noodle.

  9. Next, layer on a few tablespoons of mashed squash.

  10. Once the cheese & squash are on each of the noodles, begin to firmly roll them up. Place the rolls seam-side down in the greased baking pan, ensuring they are grouped together (they will not take up the whole pan – that’s okay!)

  11. Carefully pour the prepared tomato sauce over the lasagna rolls, ensuring there is no exposed noodle.

  12. Top each roll with a dollop of goat cheese, and then sprinkle the walnuts all over the top.

  13. Bake the lasagna rolls for 25-30 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and goat cheese is melted and browned.

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD

 

Sweet Potato (Squash) Soup

Sweet Potato (Squash) Soup
*Serves 4-6

This soup features a few of the many fall veggies we have on the farm – delicata squash (aka sweet potato squash), sweet potato, and onion. Both of the squash are small and easy to peel & chop. These powerhouse ingredients are chock full of not only delicious flavour, but also vitamins A and C! Blending the soup + adding some coconut milk provides an amazingly creamy texture and the cinnamon and nutmeg add some wintertime depth to the overall flavour. 

Ingredients:
2 delicata squash (aka sweet potato squash), peeled and cubed
2 large sweet potato, peeled and cube
1 onion, diced
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Place vegetable broth in a medium-sized pot and add the diced onion and peeled and cubed squash and sweet potato over medium-high heat.

  2. Bring mixture to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until squash and sweet potato are tender.

  3. Blend soup mixture using an immersion blender or a blender. If using a blender, allow soup to cool and then transfer in small batches.

  4. Once soup is blended, mix in coconut milk and spices. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD