#EssentialRecipe => Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

-1 large butternut squash

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1 red onion

-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

-3/4 cup French lentils

-1/2 cup frozen cranberries

-2 Tbsp fresh rosemary  finely chopped

-2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

-1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

-1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

-1 Tbsp maple syrup

-1 Tbsp Jonny Hetherington Essentials Pineapple Hot Sauce

-1/2 cup red wine

-3/4 cup vegetable stock

-80 g fresh spinach, finely chopped

-1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped

-Sea salt and black pepper to taste

  

 

Method:

Preheat the oven at 350°F.

Slice the butternut squash in half lengthways and remove the seeds. 

Pour some olive oil or avocado oil on top.

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the flesh is tender enough to scoop out with a spoon, but not too tender.

Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook over a gentle heat for 5 minutes until softened.

Add the lentils, cranberries, rosemary and thyme leaves, nutmeg, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, hot sauce, red wine and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and lower to a gentle simmer.

Cook for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender, but are still a bit crunchy. You may need to add a little more water near the end of cooking time.

Take one half of the butternut squash and scoop out some of the flesh with a spoon, leaving about 1/2 an inch all the way around so that the squash holds its shape.

Add the squash flesh to the pan of lentils, and mash it into the mixture with a fork. Repeat with the other squash half.

Stir the spinach and pistachios into the lentil mixture, and mix well to combine. Taste and decide to add salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture into the first half and make a large dome that will fill the other half when placed on top. Place one half on top and tie with string every 1 inch and a half.

Return to the oven for 10 minutes and serve.

 

Voila! Stuffed butternut squash.


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