Butternut Squash Whipped Sweet and Savory

When the leaves change colors and the weather starts to chill, it takes a lot to excite me. I’m a warm-weather girl, and I feel out of place in New England. Just about the only ‘perks’ of the seasonal shift are the influx of tasty new veggies like hearty greens (I’m looking at you, cabbage and kale), local apples flooding the shelves, and the varieties of  winter squashes filling markets everywhere.

Squashes are easy to overlook or dismiss as too difficult to prepare: The hard shells, the peeling, the roasting time. I know, I’ve heard it and I’ve said it. But the sweet, nutritious, and rich flesh (and each has its own distinct taste, profile and ‘best use’) makes them worth your while. There is a way to make squash your new go-to base, side, or stir-in. My favorite new and (super simple) vegan dish right now is roasted, whipped, sweet and savory butternut squash with sautéed veggies.

I tend to use butternut for my whipped sweet and savory squash dish as I love the flavor and texture, so that’s what this recipe calls for, but you can use a handful of varieties. Delicata is too-you guessed it-delicate, and you can eat the flesh of that squash. Spaghetti squash should not be whipped but enjoyed as is. Butternut squash, acorn, buttercup and carnival squashes all work well in this recipe. I used late season summer squashes, onions and winter chard for the sautéed veggies and added protein in the form of seitan. You can sub in any veggies you like, and any vegan protein you like (i.e. beans, tempeh, tofu). For veggies, collards with leeks would go well with the whipped sweet and savory butternut squash, as would kale and onions or cabbage and apples. Feel free to be creative.

As always, you can find me and more vegan recipes by browsing the BerryRipeBlog, by following me on Twitter @vegarissa or by checking out my blog righteouschickpea.blogspot.com.