Kale Salad with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash

It is noon-ish here in McCall, Idaho—our stomping grounds for the week—and the thermometer on the porch has yet to reach the 40°F mark. We roasted a full chicken (maple butter chicken, to be exact), made enchilada soup (adapted this recipe), and even ate freshly baked pumpkin pie in front of the fireplace… for most of the US though, I know, it is not winter yet. This sage-butter butternut squash salad is what I was making while still at home, and will probably return to making when we get back.

I forgot one key ingredient for the photoshoot of this recipe: parmesan cheese! It went on shortly after. Butternut squash, pecans, and parm make this salad quite hearty. Capers might seem like a curve ball ingredient, but since butternut squash, pecans, and currants are all a tad sweet, the capers add a necessary salty, brine-y pop.

Kale Salad with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash

Published October 2, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 2 (as a meal) or 4 (as a side)   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the butternut squash:

2 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed (1/2-inch cubes) butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter

10 sage leaves

A few cracks black pepper

1-2 three-finger pinches of salt

For the salad:

1 bunch green curly kale, chopped (optionally, remove stems)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 three-finger pinch of salt

1/3 cup currants

1/3 cup toasted pecans

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan Reggiano

2-3 tablespoons capers, strained

Additional ground black pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette:

1 clove minced garlic

1 tablespoon white balsamic

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions:

1. Cook the squash: heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom in butter. When butter is melted and starts to bubble, place butternut squash in pan. Cook, without stirring, for about 7 minutes. Add sage, and stir gently. Cook for 7-10 more minutes, stirring very occasionally, until butternut squash is golden on the edges and tender all the way through. Season with black pepper and salt to taste. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, prep the salad. Place chopped kale in large salad bowl and drizzle very lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Using your hands, rub the oil and salt into the kale leaves until they are tender and bright green (this makes them softer—better for eating). Divide kale among serving bowls, if using. Top with currants, toasted pecans, capers, and parmesan. Add butternut squash.
3. Make vinaigrette: place all vinaigrette in a jar with a lid and shake to emulsify. Drizzle dressing to taste over salad.
4. Serve salad immediately, season with black pepper to taste, and toss.

Butternut Squash, Power Greens & Red Onion Frittata

Perfect for two, this frittata is full of the good stuff: butternut squash, power greens, red onion and feta.

Selfishly, this breakfast is a mash up of things I love. For one, frittatas are pretty much my favorite breakfast. And winter squash is one of my all-time favorite crops. But also, it's easy to make, delicious, and good for you too! Something others will love as much as I do, especially if you're into eggs for breakfast. Frittatas are a go-to weekday breakfast for me because I can whip them up before heading out the door to work. If I need to, I place two slices into a pyrex and eat it when I get to the office, but usually that isn't necessary, and I enjoy my breakfast with a latte and an overdose of blog to-dos. 

Once you've made a few frittatas, you're pretty much set for life. Start with a recipe, but after a few successful bakes, let your creativity loose. This Butternut Squash, Power Greens & Red Onion Frittata is perfect for serving 2 people (or 4 along with a side of fruit and yogurt), but you can make big batch frittatas too. If you're serving a crowd, try this Broccoli & Pepper Jack Frittata.

Have a few frittatas under your belt? Good. Now wing it. This blog is all about helping you eat well, and making a frittata when the kitchen seems to be empty is one breakfast trick I always keep up my sleeve. 

How To Make Any Type of Frittata: 

Note that the recipe for this exact frittata is below, so keep scrolling if you want a little more guidance!

• Start with an oven-safe skillet (the oven-safe part is important!). Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the skillet until it glistens.

• Add vegetables. Let's say 1 to 2 cups of sliced veggies. Anything you like -- potatoes, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, etc. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender.

• In a medium bowl, combine 4 eggs, salt, and pepper. I like to add a splash (just a splash) of milk but this is optional. Whisk until frothy.

• Pour egg mixture into skillet. Sprinkle a bit of shredded cheese on top. Just a single layer.

• Place skillet in oven, and turn broiler to high. Keep an eye on the frittata - it will get puffed up, and start to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Eggs should be set. Slice and serve. (Note: for a large frittata for a crowd, you'll need more time in the oven at a lower temperature to get it cooked through. Try this Denver Omelette Casserole which is basically a glorified frittata).

Butternut Squash, Power Greens & Red Onion Frittata

Published February 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 2   |    Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 cup diced butternut squash (peeled and seeds removed)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup power greens, packed
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk of choice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

Directions:

1. Heat butter in an oven-safe 8-inch skillet until melted. Add red onion to the skillet, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced butternut squash and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring every minute or so to ensure even cooking.
2. Add garlic and greens to the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, greens should be wilted, and butternut squash should be tender all the way through.
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Whisk until bright yellow and frothy.
4. Pour egg mixture into skillet, using a spatula to ensure the squash and greens are evenly distributed. Then, sprinkle feta over top.
5. Turn oven to high on the “Broil” setting with rack in the top position. Place skillet in oven, uncovered, and bake for about 7-minutes. Watch closely in this step, as some broilers may run hotter than others. You are looking for the top to be puffed up and golden, but not brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 3 minutes before slicing and serving. Egg should be set through (if it is not, leave it until the broiler a few more minutes).

Roasted Pumpkin with Merkén Chile & Honey

Two weeks ago I got a terrible head cold that at first made my throat feel like a solid piece of rock and then morphed into congestion and then just left me aching. When I finally got a solid night of sleep (like a really solid night of sleep--12 hours, or more), I felt like I could think again. Smelling, tasting, and swallowing were still a day away. 

The worst part of a head cold to me is that your body feels totally fine--like you could run a mile- but the minute you try to do anything, you realize it was a terrible, terrible idea. By Friday I felt well enough to hit the climbing gym again, and doing so plastered a fixed smile across my face. I could taste again too, so when I got home I cooked the pumpkin I hadn't found energy to cook earlier in the week. Golden pumpkin with savory Merkén Chile: it was the first thing I smelled all week. 

That pumpkin filled my house with the scent of it's caramelizing edges and steaming Merkén chile. They were beautiful, but that smell was what really swept me off my feet. A drizzle of honey was all that was missing. (Doesn't honey make everything better?)

If you can't find Merkén chile don't sweat it: you can use any kind of smoked red chile flake in this recipe. 

Roasted Pumpkin with Merkén Chile & Honey

Published October 19, 2017 by Caitlin

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 small pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons merkén chile, or other smoked red chile flake
• 1-2 tablespoons honey 
• Garnish: 2 tablespoons minced cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice pumpkin half, remove stem, and seeds. Slice into wedges, about 1-inch thick.
2. Fit a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pumpkins on pan, and brush with avocado oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and merkén. Place in oven, and bake for 30-40 minutes, until pumpkin is tender all the way through, and starting to brown on the edges.
3. Remove from oven, and drizzle lightly with honey. Garnish with minced cilantro.