Top 5 Butternut Squash Recipes by Eat Your Way To Wellness LLC

By Guest Writer Jessica DeLuise of Eat Your Way to Wellness LLC

As featured on 6ABC's FYI Philly here are five top Butternut Squash Recipes for fall. 

Butternut Squash (BNS) is a fall friendly veggie you can add to tons of recipes that is not only delicious but also full of nutrients.  Eating in season veggies like BNS are the cheapest and often most nutritious. Food is medicine, so if you are eating things that are grown naturally you are going to be healthy. BNS is full of fiber, which helps keep you full and vitamin A, C and B-6 which support a strong immune system. Enjoy these top five butternut squash recipes and know you are doing your body some good!


1. Butternut Squash Chili Recipe
Ingredients (All Organic ):
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 ½ cups Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped in 1 inch cubes
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Water or Vegetable Broth
1 can Black Beans, rinsed
1 can Kidney Beans, rinsed
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cheese topping (optional)

Directions:
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over low-medium heat in a large dutch oven or soup pot until translucent.  Add diced tomatoes, water and butternut squash. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until squash is firm but can pierce with a fork. Add beans. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm topped with shredded cheddar or almond cheese.

2. Red Quinoa, Butternut Squash Salad Recipe
Ingredients (All Organic):
2 cups, Uncooked Quinoa
4 Cups Water or Vegetable Broth
½ Red Onion, Chopped
1 cup Roasted Butternut Squash, cut in half inch cubes
½ cup Parsley, chopped
½ cup Mint, chopped
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, Zested, and juice of
1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 Pomegranate, seeded

Directions:
Add quinoa and broth or water to pot, bring to boil, then simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is completely absorbed. On a medium baking sheet, grease lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Toss butternut squash lightly in EVOO, salt and pepper to taste and add to baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees, for about 20 minutes (see full BNS roasting recipe below). Once quinoa is cooked, add to large bowl. Once BNS is cooked, add to the quinoa bowl. Chop mint, parsley, red onion  and add to bowl. Add half the pomegranate seeds to the large bowl. An easy way to get the seeds out is cut in half and hit the back of the pomegranate with a wood spoon. Seeds will fall out.
For the dressing, in a separate small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, agave, salt and pepper. Add dressing to the quinoa bowl and mix. Allow to sit together for 1 hour, but best overnight. Top with additional pomegranate seeds to serve.

Look at all the ingredients!

Mixed and ready to eat!

3. Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
2 Shallots
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
¼ Cup White Wine
2 Cups Steamed or Roasted Butternut Squash
1  Cup Almond Milk or Cows Milk
2 Tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Nutmeg
3 Tbsps Nutritional Yeast Flakes
¼ Cup Sage, freshly chopped

Directions:
Steam or roast BNS until very soft and falling apart (see roasting recipe below). Allow to cool to room temp while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a deep sauté pan, add finely chopped shallot and cook for 4-5 minutes on low. Add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Deglaze pan with white wine and sauté for 5 minutes on low. Add spices except sage. Turn off heat.
In a food processor, add squash and milk and puree.
Turn pan back on and slowly add squash to pan, whisking constantly to mix with wine and olive oil so it stay together without separating. Add nutritional yeast and simmer on low for 5 minutes. This will help to thicken the sauce.  Add chopped sage to top at the end. Add over pasta of your choice.
Can refrigerate for 3 days until use or freeze.

Jess is great at showing off this healthy alfredo! It's a great way to sneak veggies in for your kids!

4. Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
Ingredients (All Organic):
3 Cups Butternut Squash, chopped 1/2 inch thick
2 Tbsp Agave
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 Cup Sage, sliced
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss BNS with agave, oil, salt, pepper, and sage. Spread BNS evenly on large baking sheet pan (lined with parchment paper). Roast for 20 minutes until squash is dark orange and edges are light brown.

5. Butternut Squash Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe
Ingredients (All Organic):
1 Cup Carrots, Chopped
2 Cups Butternut Squash, chopped
3 Cups Vegetable Stock
3 Tbsp Ginger, Grated
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 Bay Leaves
Optional Toppings: Greek Yogurt and Sesame Seeds

Directions:
Add all ingredients to crockpot and cook on low for 2-3 hours, or until carrots and butternut squash are soft. Use an immersion blender to blend ingredients together until it makes a puree. Serve warm with a dollop of plain greek yogurt and sesame seeds. Rosemary also makes for a nice topping.