Indian Summer Salad Recipe with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash and Cherry Tomatoes

Sending you all warm vibes with this Indian Summer Salad Recipe that’s loaded with sage roasted butternut squash and catering to the arrival of Fall, but not without first waving good bye to the last of Summer’s vine ripened cherry or grape tomatoes. It’s the best of both season prepared on a single sheet pan. And seriously, is there anything better than a one pan meal? Who has time for cleaning up when you have a million other things demanding your attention? Caregivers, you know what I’m talking about, right? Instead of adding more crazy to your to-do list, do yourself a favor and make this hybrid seasonal meal. The butternut squash, mushrooms, and tomatoes pack some serious nutritional punch, and the sage and lemon flavors meld perfectly into deliciousness.

Ingredients

• 1 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 chopped red onion
• 1/2 lb of crimini or button mushrooms, cut in half. Quarter if large or worried about senior eaters.
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 lb of grape or cherry tomatoes. I like mine whole but cut in half if there are any choking concerns.
• 1/4 cup pepita seeds
• 1/2 lemon
• handful of arugula
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the overn to 425 degrees F.
2. Place the butternut squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, and half the sage leaves on the sheet pan and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, and stir to coat. (I did this step in a bowl but you can do it on the sheet pan to save yourself some dishes.)
3. Place the sheet pan of veggies in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the pan and give the roasted vegetables a stir.
5. Next, add to the sheet pan the tomatoes, feta cheese,pepita seeds, and remaining sage leaves and gently mix the veggies around.
6. Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for 10-15 more minutes or untill the butternut squash is soft and the tomatoes have split.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and sqeeze the lemon juice over the roasted vegetables, being mindful of the citrus seeds.
8. Give it all a good mix and then dress the top with a smattering of arugla and a slight drizzle of olive oil to finish.
9. Salt and pepper to taste.
10. Portion into salad bowls and enjoy

*Serves 4

In addition to the convenience of making a one pan dinner, I also love the adaptability of this recipe for seniors. If you have an elderly eater in your household you can easily adjust this recipe to be more senior friendly. I would recommend the following:

1. Omit the pepita seeds which can be a turn-off for anyone with aging or sensitive teeth.

2. Skip the arugula or chop it up to avoid issues with aspirating or dysphagia.

3. Cut the tomatoes in half. I would suspect that roasting the tomatoes would soften them making them easier to swallow but they are a common choking hazard for children and I would suspect adults as well.

All in all take care of yourself and take care of your loved ones. Eat good food, create meals with care, and savor the best of every season. Life is short. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This butternut squash soups is a bowl of comfort that is easily kept warm in a crock pot so you can keep hungry folks fed and out of your kitchen in the midst of all the holiday cooking chaos. You can make it a day or two in advance and then keep it in the fridge until you’re ready. Then, just pour it into a crock-pot set to low the morning you want to use it, and allow it to warm-up for a few hours…

Boom! You got a low maintenance, seasonal lunch and free kitchen space! Holiday cooking is rarely low maintenance so anything that pays back in both space and time is worth it when it comes to your sanity. You can be “fancy” with a tray of topping on the side so everyone can add their own. Again, low maintenance for the win! Cause you probably still have pies and sides to make with a bird or something in your oven. Who needs the added stress of hungry people getting in your way? Just make this soup. There is a reason it’s considered comfort food.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 cups total)

• 1 onion chopped

• 3 garlic cloves chopped

• 1 tbsp of fresh ginger

• 1 tsp curry powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 2 2/3 cups of broth (chicken or veggie)

• 1/2 can of unsweetened coconut milk

• 2 tbsp of plain yogurt

• splash of half and half

• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro

• some chopped cashews for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. Saute the onion in a pot with the oil over medium heat until soft
2. Add the garlic and fresh ginger and cook for another minute or so
3. Add the turmeric and the curry powder and mix well
4. As the spices start to stick to the bottom, add a little broth and deglaze the bottom of the pot bringing up all those caramelized bits which will enrich the final flavor of the soup.
5. After deglazing you can add in the rest of the broth and the squash
6. Bring it up to a boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 10 or 15 minutes uncovered until the squash is tender
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly and mix in the coconut milk. (If you have an immersion blender use that to puree the soup. If using a regular blender puree in batches but really allow the soup to cool).
8. When the soup is smooth, warm it back up, but be careful not to boil it because the coconut milk can curdle. Ladle into a bowl.
9. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt and a little cream or left over coconut milk and make a thin finishing sauce. Stir a spoonful into you soup and top with fresh cilantro and cashews.

What holiday cooking strategies do you try and employ? I’ve got the soup covered but when it comes to the other items I could use some tips. Tell me, tell me!