Butternut Squash Chocolate Pudding (Paleo)

Ok. This is the last of my butternut squash recipes. At least for now. I think I’ve hit all the realms of butternut squash usage: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and dessert. As a celebratory finish, I’ve got a chocolatey treat to share: pudding!

Word of caution though: Make sure you’re working with cooled butternut squash. Maybe it’s just me, but the squash flavor is really strong right out of the oven. I always just let it chill in the fridge overnight to avoid any uncertainty- thus making this the perfect recipe for leftover pureed butternut squash! Even so, there may be a slight butternut-y flavor to it. Instead of comparing the taste to the Snack Pack or Jello puddings sold in store, consider this pudding as its own brand/type of dessert.

In less exciting news, I’ve FINALLY added an About and Recipe Index to the blog (better later than never) Hopefully this will help everybody (including me!) find past recipes 🙂

Butternut Squash Chocolate Pudding (Paleo) 

Ingredients: 

*3/4 cup roasted butternut squash, COMPLETELY COOLED

2-3 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

2 tbsp nut butter of choice (peanut, almond, etc…)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup water

*To make puree, slice the butternut squash in half long ways and place face-down (peel side up) on a foil-lined baking pan. Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. Flip face-up and roast for 10 more minutes. Once cooled, scoop out squash flesh and blend in a food processor until smooth. 

Directions:

In a food processor, blend butternut squash, cocoa powder, maple syrup/honey, nut butter, vanilla, , and salt together. Add water and blend. LET REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS BEFORE EATING (to let flavors set in).

Butternut Squash no longer in season? Try my Summer Squash Chocolate Pudding instead!

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Butternut Squash Mac’N Cheese

It’s been one of those weeks that I’m glad is finally over. Bad news on top of bad news. Ugh. That saying, When it rains, it pours, is so true (both figuratively and literally) this week. But hey- what are you going to do?

Answer to that hypothetical question: Cook your sorrows away! All the while pretending to know and sing all the words to Don McLean’s American Pie. 

And this transitioned into making some good ol’ comfort food. Like, mac’ n cheese comfort.

Normally, I avoid pasta dishes but… it was a rough week. And this was very much needed.

Still, I wanted to do some experimenting and try out butternut squash as part of a cheese sauce.

And it was a yummy success! Next time I make the sauce (which I predict will be pretty soon), I’m thinking I’ll top it over some steamed cauliflower…

Butternut Squash Mac’N Cheese

Ingredients:  

10 oz elbow macaroni

1 tbsp ghee

1 lb asparagus, broken into 1 in pieces

1 small onion, chopped

*1 and 1/4 cup pureed butternut squash

2 tbsp mustard (mine contained horseradish)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper, to taste

7 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

*To make puree, slice the butternut squash in half long ways and place face-down (peel side up) on a foil-lined baking pan. Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. Flip face-up and roast for 10 more minutes. Once cooled, scoop out squash flesh and blend in a food processor until smooth. 

Directions: 

Melt ghee in a deep skillet or pot and add in asparagus. Cover with a lid and let cook for 15 minutes, stirring every so often.

Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to box instructions and set aside.

Add in onions to the asparagus and cook for 5 more minutes. Mix in squash, mustard, and chicken broth. Cook for 5 minutes, adding garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in cheese until melted. Pour mixture over macaroni, mix all together, and serve.

Butternut Pesto Flatbread/ Butternut Pizza

It’s a 2 in 1 day! Yup, two recipes/ideas in 1 post. And they require no extraordinary cooking skill!

Aren’t I amazing 😉

The best part is, you can get as fancy as you want with these, ranging from a quick snack/lunch to a smancy (as my friend would say) dinner party appetizer.

Butternut Pesto Flatbread/ Butternut Pizza 

Ingredients: 

1 butternut squash

garlic powder

salt and pepper

For flatbread:

favorite type of pesto (store bought or homemade)

shallots, chopped

pine nuts

feta cheese

For pizza:

pizza/marinara sauce

mozzarella cheese

Directions: 

Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Cut into 1/8 in semi-circles. Spray baking pan with oil. Put on slices. Spray slices with oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

For flatbread: Spread on pesto and top with shallots, pine nuts, and feta (to the desired amount). Bake for 8 more minutes.

For pizza: Spread on pizza/marinara sauce and top with desired pizza toppings. Bake till cheese melts

Butternut Egg “Muffins” (Paleo)

I envy people who are able to make and leisurely eat egg muffins.

You see, my dad buys about 3 dozen eggs a week and goes through a good chunk of them on his own. Since he only eats them raw, he thinks it’s a waste of egg to cook them.

Therefore, I can hardly use a dozen eggs to make a dozen (or less) egg muffins.

Instead, I needed to find a way to stuff them up with something else. And butternut squash was the solution!

Paleo Butternut Egg “Muffins” 

Ingredients:

*1/2 cup butternut squash (pureed and completely cooled)

1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1/4 cup cooked ham, sausage, or bacon, chopped/crumbed into fine pieces

2 tbsp coconut flour

2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

1 organic, cage free egg

1/2 tbsp dried chives

1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

1/4 tsp baking powder

salt and pepper, to taste

*To make puree, slice the butternut squash in half long ways and place face-down (peel side up) on a foil-lined baking pan. Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. Flip face-up and roast for 10 more minutes. Once cooled, scoop out squash flesh and blend in a food processor until smooth. 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine all the ingredients and pour into greased muffin tins. Bake for 27 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before taking out of tins. Makes 6 large “muffins.” If saving for later, store in the fridge.