Roasted Squash and Veggies

What a yummy dinner: Stuffed Acorn Squash on a bed of whole-grains, with salad.
So low-calorie, so filling, so nourishing!

Amount of time to prepare:  less than 1 hr.                            Makes 2 or 3 servings

Difficulty level:  super easy!

Ingredients:

a squash of your choice (butternut, acorn, kabocha, other)

assorted vegetables of your choice:  potatoes (any color), carrot, parsnip, turnip, garlic cloves, mushrooms, zucchini, bell pepper (any color), onion (any color)

extra-virgin olive oil

Bragg Liquid Aminos (sold in natural foods stores, it's flavorful w/o salt, made of soybeans and water; contains 16 amino acids.  Since 1912, a salt-free alternative to tamari and soy sauce.)

herbs, such as herbes de Provence ( thyme, fennel, basil, savory, lavender)

cracked pepper

granulated kelp (sold in natural foods stores, either with the macrobiotic products, or sometimes with the varieties of salt)

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Wash a squash of your choice (butternut, acorn, kabocha, for ex.)

3. Cut in half and scoop out seeds.  (If you feed squirrels, they LOVE the seeds.)

4. Wash other veggies:  carrot, potato, turnip, parsnip, bell pepper, onion, garlic cloves, mushrooms, zucchini.  

5.  Cut veggies into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl that you'll be able to "toss" them in.

6.  Drizzle veggies with extra-virgin olive oil & Bragg's Aminos; sprinkle with your favorite herbs (I used Herbs de Provence w/lavender), fresh-cracked pepper, granulated kelp.  Please add anything else YOU particularly like. Toss to coat all pieces.

7.  Place split squash halves in a roasting or baking pan.  Fill hollows with cut-up veggies.  Place remainder in pan around squash halves.  Add 1/3 cup water to pan.

8.  Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.

9.  Eat & enjoy.

Vitamins & nutrients:  Vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, B9, B12, choline, inositol, Vitamin C, linoleic acid (EFA's), calcium, chromium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sulphur, zinc, fiber, protein.  

If you serve this on a bed of whole grains (see Whole Grains post): organic brown rice, millet, whole oat groats, rye berries, whole wheat berries, then you will INCREASE the amount of the above vitamins & nutrients, PLUS you will have: B3 (niacin), B6, B15,  B17 (laetrile), Vitamin E, biotin, PABA.

This meal packs a LOT of nutrition in few calories.