Butternut Pasta Sauce

In trying to eat a little less meat recently, I've leaned a bit too heavily on butter and carbs. This dish omits the former and gives you some flexibility with the latter: swap out boring white fettuccine for whole wheat, or use some type of filled pasta -- spinach could work well. And/or mix in some green vegetable (peas? asparagus?) for textural variety.

The sauce is super creamy, without needing an ounce of cream (I omitted from the original recipe). If you want to add some heavy cream, do so before adding the broth at the end.

Roasted Butternut Pasta Sauce

from Everyday Food

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1-2 C chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 lb pasta (something to which sauce will cling)

Directions (in short: roast, puree, and add to pasta)

Preheat oven to 375. Peel, seed, and cube squash -- don't worry about appearances, just make everything equal sized for effective roasting.

Toss squash with olive oil and scatter with garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until very soft, ~40 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Puree in a food processor or blender. Add just enough chicken or vegetable broth to thin sauce to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with desired toppings, and serve with a little parmesan, sage, or crushed walnuts.

Delicata Squash with Kale

Some people -- not naming any names here -- go a bit overboard with the Christmas treats: hot cocoa and eggnog lattes, Chex mix, and a month-long roller coaster of sugar rushes and crashes from cookies, cakes, and candy canes. Let's not even discuss Christmas cocktails.

This Delicata Squash with Kale and Cranberry Beans is an awesome alternative to another plate of gingerbread. Beans give protein and fiber, while kale provides more healthy benefits per calorie than almost any other food (according to worldshealthiestfoods.org) -- an excellent option for offsetting the empty calories of the holidays. And delicata, a winter squash, offers vitamins A and C, plus calcium and more fiber. Delicata is also super pretty, rich yellow and striped, so the finished dish looks and tastes delish.

I skipped the cranberry beans, but including them would make this a nice vegetarian offering at a big dinner. The rest of the recipe I followed closely, and there was nothing particularly tricky. The quantity of sauce looks skimpy, but it worked. If the kale doesn't wilt enough when you add the sauce, I'd pop in the microwave for a minute or two till it reaches the desired wiltiness.

• 1-2 delicata squashes (2lbs), halved, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half-circles
• 1 T + 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• 5oz kale (about half a bunch), stems removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 T red-wine vinegar (I had none, so subbed lemon juice for acid)
• 15 ounces cranberry beans, drained and rinsed (I omitted)

Toss squash half-circles with 1 tsp oil and roast at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.

Mix balsamic and honey. Brush some over the top of the squash (save the rest). Bake squash for another 5 minutes.

Put prepped kale in a large bowl. Heat 1 T oil over medium heat, and add shallot and garlic. Cook until soft, , then add red-wine vinegar and remaining vinegar-honey mixture. Bring to a boil, then immediately pour hot dressing over kale. Add salt, pepper, squash and beans. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and let stand for 5 minutes. Toss until kale wilts slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.