Roasted Red Kabocha Squash Bowl
This bundle of deliciousness is for weeks when hearts are tender and we still have to keep going. I can prepare, leave it cooking and do other things. I know there is a meal in the fridge and no excuse to skip it because “ I won't have time to make something”. It also makes eating/meal planning easier. Gentle invitation to try it. There is something deliciously calming when you take a bite of soft, simply seasoned roasted squash. I ate it between phone calls and writing and client sessions and for dinner. In macrobiotics (Japanese cooking and healing practice +theory) we share energy with the food we eat, our environment, the seasons and each other.
The simple principals are- eat local, eat a mix of vegetables, whole grains, plant protein and fermentation. Eating this way can help us feel nourished, grounded and connected to our bodies and surroundings. If you want to learn more, explore Dr. Michio Kushi’s books and Healing With Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford. This squash is paired with marinated kale so you can get your hands messy. Touching and doing something like massaging kale can be a nice mindfulness practice and a way to signal to your body and brain that you are in touch with the food you are going to eat. You are creating this thing. Activating the enzymes. Tasting it. I may be the only one who thinks like this when I’m cooking or needing to have a moment where I’m just cooking like Tich Nhat Hanh explained “washing the dishes to wash the dishes” in The Miracle of Mindfulness. I invite you to feel your food, to apply this mindfulness to your cooking or washing the dishes as you are able to. Cut the squash in half and pull out the seeds with your hands. Roast or compost them. Feel them. Have fun with it. Watch your beans transform while soaking. Kids get into this as well. Rinse your rice. Use a rice cooker or pot. You choose how you want to do this.
You could eat all these ingredients together or add them into other meals. Do what you like with them. I offer this for you to make and create with however you want. Enjoy xo
Red Kabocha Squash
Whole-Bowl Ingredients
1 medium/large red kabocha squash
½ tsp garlic powder + ¼ tsp smoked paprika + ¼ tsp ground coriander + dash of cayenne pepper
1 cup wild + brown rice blend mix ( cooked)
1 bunch of kale
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 square of kombu
sea salt
ground black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice + lemon wedge
1 cup dried heirloom beans or any kind of beans you want to make ( I like pinto for this recipe as well)
6-8 cups water
Roasted Kabocha Squash
Preheat oven 375
Ingredients:
2 tbsp grape-seed oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder + ¼ tsp smoked paprika + ¼ tsp ground coriander + dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp sea salt + extra for sprinkling
1 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp or squeeze of lemon wedge
Directions:
-Slice squash in half. Remove center guts + seeds. Roast or compost them. In a small bowl. Whisk together the oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, smoked paprika powder, garlic powder, coriander powder, black pepper. Line a baking sheet or 2 inch deep roasting pan with parchment paper. Place squash down on the paper. Using a pastry brush, paint the dressing all over the squash ( both sides). Pour remaining over the squash. Roast them inside facing up( the part where you removed the insides facing you) with a cover of foil over them. Roast in the oven for 1 hour. Rotate the pan mid-bake point ( 30 mins) and remove the foil. Squash edges should be golden and the flesh nice and soft when done.
Rice Mix
1 cup wild rice blend or brown rice
2 cups water
1/2 tsp sea salt
Directions: Rinse your rice in a strainer. Cook rice on the stove or in a rice cooker. If cooking on the stove follow general rice directions-add rice, water and salt to your pot. Heat on high. When it starts to boil, lower the heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 45 mins.
Vampire Dinosaur Kale
1 bunch of kale (rinsed and patted dry)
1 clove of garlic
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil + more if needed ( I do a 3 second drizzle over the bowl of kale)
1/4 tsp sea salt ( 2-3 pinches)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Directions: Rinse and chop kale into desired pieces. Finely chop garlic clove. In a large bowl add kale, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Using your hands massage the kale. You will get messy fingers but your kale will be deliciously flavored and so much easier to digest. Massage until kale is soft and the color is a popping green ( does not take long). Sprinkle nutritional yeast on top.
Pressure Cooked/ Slow Cooked Beans
1 cup dried heirloom mixed beans or any beans you want. Canned is great too. I would use two cans for this recipe
1 small square of kombu seaweed
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
½ tsp Ground Black pepper
6 cups water
Directions:
-Soak beans for at least 3 hours or overnight. If using canned, skip this part. When ready to cook add all the ingredients to a pot, pressure cooker or Instant Pot ( setting on bean/chilli and pressure cook). If slow cooking in a pot, heat it on high. When a low boil begins, lower heat to simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 1-2 hours depending on type of beans. Check to stir and add more water if needed. I usually like two hours on the stove top so plan for that. Make sure they are soft before turning heat off. You can drain the liquid or keep it. I like to drain some and keep most for extra flavor holding in the beans. If using canned beans you can add all the ingredients to a stew pot and cook for 1 hour on simmer.
How To Enjoy:
These three recipes are all delicious on their own but also yum together. I like them when I need to take a little extra care in having food easily available.
-Squash is truly magical and abundant this season. I encourage you to explore all the varieties from the farmer’s market or food store. Squash is a wonderful vegetable to add in for energetic ease and centering, soothing inflammation, Vitamin C, polyphenols, potassium and fiber. Roasted until golden and gently season with salt, pepper, maple syrup and any herbs you love. Squash can bring sweetness, centeredness and warmth when we need it most this season.
-Kale is not overrated in my book. All leafy greens are magical. Try them all but maybe keep it simple with kale. Scoop up big bunches to enjoy right now at the farmer’s market if you can. Dark leafy greens like kale, collards, and swiss chard are nice options to start adding into our meals for colder months. You can use this recipe or make your own. Chew kale well to absorb all the magical nutrients. Saute kale if it is easier for you to digest, add to your soups at the end of cooking for extra texture, nutrients and green power. Greens help nourish our blood and give our bodies support in fighting off free radicals and infections-greens are rich in Vitamin C, Calcium, Vitamin K and A. They provide fiber and minerals and love on our bones and blood. Enjoy them however you want.
-Beans/Pinto/Cranberry/Heirloom: I used a heirloom bean mix from the farmers market that I had in my pantry. You could use any bean for this recipe. Heirloom bean mixes, Pinto beans or cranberry beans are a lovely option. Work with what you can find and what calls to you. They offer us fiber, digestive support, B6 vitamins, magnesium and iron. These nutrients nourish our nervous system and support overall chill. Magnesium helps with blood flow in the body and sleep. Paired with rice you get a complete amino acid package ( your brain and whole body will be happy). Rice and bean recipes are found in so many cultures around the world. Explore your own lineage and see where grain/rice and beans are found in recipes and make them this month. Try something new too! Adding a piece of kombu can help break down enzymes in the beans that make us a little gassy and adds iodine and natural sea mineral to the beans.
- Red Mills wild rice blend is a favorite in our home. You can use any rice you want. Brown rice and wild rice nourish the nervous system easily thanks to B vitamins. Rice gives our belly fiber, cooling and movement for stuck emotions and constipation. Chew it well for best digestion.
Tea Blend For Heart Hugs
1 tsp rose petals
1 tsp hibiscus flower
1 tsp hawthorne berries
1 tsp rose hips
1 tsp holy basil/tulsi
1 tsp damiana
1 tsp smashed ginger
1 tsp chopped cinnamon
1 tsp Honey or Maple Syrup ( try to use local honey)
Directions: In a 32 oz mason jar or teapot/steeper add all the ingredients and then pour over boiling water to fill it. Cover and steep for 10-15 mins. Strain and enjoy warm, cold or added seltzer. This tea will support tender hearts, grounding, grief and give us the movement and flow we may need when feeling stagnant or stuck in heart feels that feel a little too much. Please always check with physicians and medical contraindications. This tea is not suitable for pregnant folks or anyone on heart medication. If you cannot access all the ingredients try simply rose, ginger, and cinnamon.