Cleaning out the Crisper

It's one of those grey days where I'm too bummed to go out to the shops for food, which means it's time to retreat to the pantry where I have cans upon cans of chickpeas (thank Costco for that).

I've had a squash in my cupboard for the past 6 months. So, that was my challenge - one small squash and some chickpeas. Bonus points for use of the leftover half can of coconut milk in the fridge.

 And voila:

A Softly Spiced Chickpea Squash Simmer

(inspired by a pumpkin recipe from Nigel Slater's Tender I)

Ingredients

1 14oz can chickpeas
1 small delicata squash (but really, any squash or pumpkin will do)
1 tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb size knob of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 lime leaves (use 2 stalks lemongrass, or the zest of one lime if you don't have the lime leaves)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
3 whole cardamon pods, lightly crushed
1 dried whole chili pepper (or two minced fresh, seeded chilies)
1 cup vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 cup coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste
½ tbsp canola oil
½ tbsp mustard seed
palmful chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas, set aside. Peel squash and seed, pulling out tough inner fibres. Chop into bite size chunks.

2. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes, softening without colouring. Add ginger and garlic, cooking, stirring constantly for another minute. Add lime leaves, coriander, turmeric, cardamon pods and dried pepper, cook for about 30 seconds to allow the spices to bloom. Add in chickpeas, squash and stock.

Partially cover and let simmer until squash is just tender, about 20 minutes (this will, of course, depend on the kind of squash you use). You may need to add more liquid if the mixture looks like it's drying out.

3. Once squash has reached the right consistency, stir in the coconut milk and reduce heat to low. Let simmer gently while you complete step 4.

4. Heat remaining oil over medium low heat. Once hot, add mustard seeds and cook just until they begin to pop. Mix oil and mustard seeds into the chickpea-squash mixture. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The lime leaves are for decorative purposes only! Don't eat them.

Butternut Squash Hummus

I've had a butternut squash languishing in my cupboard for ages now. So long so that I've developed a guilt complex every time I leave him untouched.

"Don't worry. I'll find a use for you." I'd say to it.

Okay, that's silly. I don't usually talk to my vegetables.

I did find a use for it though thanks to my theme-of-the-week cookbook! I swear, this'll be my last one out of here for a while.

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and fibres removed
½ head of garlic, papery layer removed, but the rest unpeeled
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ large onion, finely chopped
2½ tbsp curry paste
2 15oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup tahini
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup beer (something bitter, like Anchor Liberty Ale, is a great choice as you want to counteract the sweetness of the squash)
1 tbsp olive oil
½ lemon
¼ tsp srircha
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

See? I told you I'd find a use for you!

Wrap unpeeled garlic in foil and place on a baking sheet with squash halves. Roast in oven until garlic is buttery soft and squash is cooked through. Depending on your oven (and mine's a wonky one) this could take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and curry paste and sauté until just soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and place the flesh in the bowl of a food processor. Add chickpeas and process until just about smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until desired consistency.

Who knew beer + hummus would be such a winning combination?

Serve with pita, vegetables or use as a sandwich spread. I'm currently eating it with leftover roast pork on some amazing multi-grain loaf from Future Bakery.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad and a Cottage Saturday

Part of the annual Thanksgiving weekend tradition involves all the people on the street taking the docks out of the water. There's a lot less enthusiasm for this activity (versus putting them in on the Victoria Day long weekend), mostly because the water is so much colder. 

Dad walking down the street wearing hip-waiters.

I see my role, as official photographer, to be a pretty damn important one.

The beach, with more than half of the dock gone.

You see, there are dogs that need portraits done.

Promptly after running into the water.

And... well... do you want to go swimming at Thanksgiving?

Yar. Look at that strength!

After everything at the beach seemed under control, Jenn and I took a walk down towards Snake Creek.

More milkweed pods!

And, you know, because we were tired after that, we sat around reading at the cottage.

The living room

Phil and I took a quick walk before dinner just up and down River Road.

River Road at Murray Hill

I love autumn up here. I swear, no one does autumn like Ottawa-Gatineau.

View from another beach.

And what would the cottage be without eating? Nothing, I tells you.

Yum!

See the plaid shirt I'm wearing? I wore it practically every day in grade 8 (it was the grunge era). Now I reserve it for fall at the cottage, where it's kept permanently!

We're eating a poorly plated, but totally delicious Roasted Butternut Squash Salad recipe. I swear, it's the best dish ever.

Well. best dish for fall anyway.

Roasted squash, red onions, bacon, melted goat cheese, walnuts, maple... this salad has a whole lot of awesome goin' on!

The perfect Friday night dinner

Everyone has favourite thank-God-I-have-2-days-off meal. Most times, we tend towards pizza, but yesterday we were feeling to lazy even for that.

Thankfully, I'd hit up one of my favourite shops on Thursday: Nancy's Cheese. It was here that I was introduced to the joys of sheep cheese. It's so much better (read: less gamey) than goat.

Best of all, Nancy always gives samples of whatever it is you're looking to buy! And I'm definitely a girl who loves her samples.

So, Thursday, I spent the better part of 40$ on 4 wedges of cheese.

I regret nothing.

Friday Night Dinner

Sweet, delicious Friday:

• a bottle of Malivore Gamay
• one sliced Honeycrisp Apple
• pumpkin pecan bread from Whole Foods
• Beemster XO cheese - cow's milk aged gouda with butterscotch notes
• Moliterno - sheep's milk cheese with truffle
• Zamorano - unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese
• Brie - unpasteurized cow's milk
• tarragon orange olives

Life is good.

As a bonus, here's Thursday night's dinner recipe. It's amazing and was also served with delicious cheeses.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Shallot Soup

From Cooking Light

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup soup and 1 teaspoon chives)

Ingredients

• 4  cups  (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 4  large shallots, peeled and halved
• 1  (1/2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2  tablespoons  (1-inch) slices fresh chives
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a roasting pan or jelly-roll pan; toss well. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Cool 10 minutes.

3. Place half of squash mixture and half of broth in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture and broth. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with chives and pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 112 (20% from fat)

Fat: 2.5g (sat 0.4g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.3g)

Protein: 3.3g

Carbohydrate: 22.4g

Fiber: 3.6g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Iron: 1.6mg

Sodium: 266mg

Calcium: 84mg