If it appears somewhat too early to be speaking about all my favorite squashes—and the scrumptious recipes that profit from their savory-sweet taste—know this: it’s not. With the launch of Daphne Oz’s newest e-book, Eat Your Heart Out, I’ve yet one more recipe so as to add to my can’t-wait-for-cozy-season rotation: her crispy roasted butternut squash.
After I consider the cooks and cookbooks I flip to for foolproof weeknight meals, Daphne Oz and her library of recipes comes up time and time once more. With recipes that put taste first and nutritious components on the high of the listing, I don’t assume twice about making her chickpea “tuna” salad, Turkish eggs, and eggless Caesar salad. Eat Your Coronary heart Out is an ode to our insatiable appetites for contemporary and flavorful meals, and whereas I’m headed straight to the kitchen to make each final recipe, there’s one which stands out particularly: this Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa.
With only a handful of ingredients and some strategies that take this crispy roasted butternut squash to the subsequent stage, this recipe is a weeknight showstopper. Hold studying for all the main points, together with Daphne’s tips for always-delicious dishes, easy methods to make fluffy and crave-worthy quinoa, and all the guidelines for perfecting your new go-to meal.
How would you describe Your cooking philosophy?
I am an eater by nature, calling, and choice. I have always explored and savored life through delicious bites, and nothing gets me giddier than a hole-in-the-wall with the best of something (dumplings! pizza! falafel! breakfast tacos!), or a farmer’s market full of local specialities and ugly produce that tastes sublime.
Fundamentally, I want it to feel intuitive when I eat to feel good—with pleasure and wellness in every bite. Eat Your Heart Out is about sharing the all-fun, no-fuss, gluten- and refined sugar-free recipes I rely on to get back to food confidence, reset healthy habits, and feel good in my skin.
What is your hope when someone tries a recipe from one of your cookbooks?
I love watching people have fun and feel confident making my recipes at home. Seeing people customize recipes, enjoy the process, and savor the final dishes with their families is so validating. I know how good sharing that love and those taste memories feels. With the recipes in Eat Your Heart Out in particular, i’s deeply empowering to be part of a community committed to enjoying taking good care of ourselves and living life in full.
What makes this Crispy Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe your Go-To Meal?
This dish is a perfect example of how wondrously filling, layered, and flavorful a veggie main can be. I love how the currants get plumped up in vinegar and added to a brilliantly nuanced vinaigrette that gets splashed over spiced and roasted butternut squash plus a bed of herbs and quinoa.
I roast veggies most days of the week. Time in a hot oven delivers texture along with a concentration of flavor and sweetness that’s very welcome, so I always have a bounty of roasted vegetable that adds juiciness to grain bowls and salads. The quinoa drinks up the flavor of the surrounding vinaigrette so this bowl only becomes more flavorful as it sits. (Pro tip: Make a big batch and reap the benefits all week.) I sometimes add more fresh herbs just before eating to revive it. I promise you won’t be thinking about the health benefits as you sink your teeth in!
Does this recipe require any special equipment?
This recipe has some layering to it, but all very simple techniques. You’ll want a tray for roasting the squash and a sauce pan to cook the quinoa and plump the currants. Other than that, everything just gets tossed together in a big bowl to enjoy! You can also customize using whatever leftover roasted veggies and grains you have. The vinaigrette goes great with lentils and roasted red onion and peppers, or you can try brown rice and roasted broccoli.
What are your must-have kitchen tools?
In terms of some of my favorite kitchen items, people know all about my love of a giant wooden salad bowl (which you could definitely use for this!).
I am partial to hand-worn items with a bit of character or patina, which is why I love my wooden cutting boards and spoons. I leave them out on my countertops as decoration and for utility.
Using ceramic bowls for serving brings an organic, warm feel to the table. I love the bowls and plates I use from Gjusta Goods. I additionally at all times usher in a little bit of brass or silver so as to add a contact of glamour. The brushed gold serving spoons from Fable are favorites and the gold Linea cutlery from Meals 52.
Gear-wise, I maintain it easy: a terrific chef’s knife (Material Kitchen offers my utility gamers), an enormous slicing board, a stand mixer for extra intensive tasks, and a blender for nice soups, purees, and smoothies. I’ve to offer a shout-out to the air fryer that I by no means thought I might personal and now delivers my all-time favourite salmon recipe—a crispy-skinned, juicy filet with a chile-soy glaze and honey-sesame topping.
What hero components make this recipe particular?
The spiced cubes of squash are golden brown and crisp outdoors and delightfully creamy inside. Quinoa occurs to be a whole protein, so tuck that in your again pocket. However the vibrant, excellently acidic and barely candy currant French dressing steals the present.
Are there any ingredients swaps we should know about?
All the recipes in Eat Your Heart Out are free from gluten and refined sugar. If you can’t find butternut squash, try another squash or sweet potato. If you aren’t into quinoa, try lentils, brown rice, millet, or another gluten-free grain option of your choosing. See my alternate combo suggestions above, too.
what are your tricks for making recipes we always crave?
The most important technique here is to make sure not to overcrowd your pan when you roast squash. If there’s too much squash on the pan, you risk steaming it which means less color, flavor, and texture.
But most of all, try to keep a 50-50 balance of quinoa to squash. The quinoa will fill you up, but you want the squash and its spiced, sweet-savory flavor to shine!
Fresh herbs are key, too. Using big, torn handfuls of parsley keeps the whole game fresh and vibrant. The list continues: good olive oil, enough salt, and a hint of something surprisingly like acid or heat. If you like it spicy, try adding minced Fresno chiles to this recipe—so good!
Any Advice For Getting the Quinoa Perfectly Fluffy?
Quinoa can be a little tricky to get right. We want it perfectly tender but still al dente so it doesn’t clump together into mush. I nail this by rinsing the seeds, then toasting them until dry in a medium pot—they’ll smell fragrant and nutty. Then I add the water following the package instructions and bring to a boil uncovered, drop to a simmer, cover, and cook until the seeds are tender.
When there is no liquid left at the base of the pan, I fluff quinoa with two forks, cover the pot with a dish towel and cap with a lid, and let it sit to steam another 5-10 minutes.
Keep scrolling to get Daphne’s recipe for this Crispy Butternut Squash and Quinoa. Find more of Daphne’s recipes on TikTok and Instagram @daphneoz and catch her on The Good Dish every day (check your local listings) and every Thursday on MasterChef Jr on FOX!
