Usually, Sunday is the day that I cook up a big batch of
something that I can reheat or rework throughout the week to cut down on
weeknight cooking. But, since I spent the weekend battling a bad cold, my energy and effort levels
were limited, so this Sunday’s dinner was more about low output, high yield.
I have roasted butternut squash more times than I could
possibly count, and I change it up every time. I’ve done it with pecans and
brown sugar, with cumin and tandoori spice, with mustard vinaigrette… the
pairings are endless. What I love about butternut squash is that it’s one of those
root vegetables that roasts up beautifully—it becomes decadent and buttery. And
yet, it’s also brimming with vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate,
pantothenic acid, and manganese. A cup of cubed butternut squash also provides more
potassium than a banana! And, the subtle flavor of butternut squash lends
itself to so many different flavors and spices.
After tossing around 2 lbs of cubed butternut squash in
olive oil, I used a generous amount of cayenne pepper and chili flakes (about a
tablespoon of chili flakes and a teaspoon of cayenne), and then seasoned it
with salt and pepper. I loaded all of that on a baking sheet at 425 for about
25 minutes. Earlier in the day, I roasted pistachios and cashews (which I
happened to have on hand, but any nut would work) with olive oil, thyme,
paprika, salt, and a pinch of sugar. On a whim, I topped the hot butternut
squash with the roasted nuts and a new favorite winter dish was born.
