Each week I try and let one vegetable be the star of my meals to make sure I create zero food waste and it helps keep a variety of foods in my diet for more vitamins and nutrients.
This week it's that orange beauty - butternut squash that when roasted, is all kinds of sweet deliciousness.
Naturally low in fat, rich in antioxidants and with a healthy dose of heart-friendly fibre and folate, this gourd is more than just a pretty colour. It's also full of beta-carotene (converted to Vit A) and just 1 cup of the stuff is half your recommended Vitamin C (hello skin health and immunity!).
Anyway back to the tasty stuff... here's a bowl packed full of flavour and textures as well as plant-protein, healthy fats and as stated above lots of vitamins and nutrients.
Make a big batch on a Sunday and change it up a little for your packed lunch by adding different elements in/ out, because no one wants to eat the same thing over and over.
RECIPE (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 x butternut squash
200g soba noodles
1 x can fava beans (or mix it up with soya beans)
For the herby pesto
2 garlic cloves
100g almonds
Small bunch of parley
1/2 small bunch of coriander
Juice of 1 lemon
50ml water
1 tbsp olive oil (or oil of choice)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
To serve
Sprouted pulses
Handful of spinach
Method:
For the squash.
Pre-heat the oven to 220C.
Grease a baking tray with a little oil (I use avo oil spray)
Slice the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
Cut in half again and slice into equal sized pieces.
Place in the baking tray with a few sprays or a drizzle of oil and a little salt.
Bake in the oven for approx 45mins or until soft.
Meanwhile...
For the pesto.
Place all the ingredients into food processor and blitz until a chunky mixture forms.
Cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water according to packet instructions. Drain, then place the noodles back in the pan and set aside.
Now bring it all together...
Mix half of your pesto with the noodles in the pan.
In each bowl add washed spinach, then the noodles, beans (drained from their liquid) and butternut squash.
Top it off with the extra pesto, crushed almonds, herbs and sprouted pulses if using.