Butternut Squash, Purple Carrot & Broccoli Bowl with Chipotle Almond Sauce
For the Bowl:
- 1 Bowl. But also…
- 1 small butternut squash [The Farm at Sunnyside, Washington, VA]
- 1 large purple carrot [Second Spring Farm, Wheatland, VA]
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped sage
- Dash or two of salt
- 2 medium heads of broccoli [Newmarket Plantation, Milford, VA]
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon miso paste (I substituted 1 tablespoon combined of tomato paste and soy sauce, because miso paste is hard to find)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 3-4 tablespoons water
Plus:
- 1 cup cooked rice or quinoa
- Montgomery Mint Tea [Runningbyrd Tea Company, Washington, DC]
Start by peeling and dicing your squash. I didn’t peel my carrot because it was just so beautiful, but be sure you give it a good wash. I chopped mine pretty roughly into ½ inch cubes, but I left some of them a range of sizes so that I’d get different textures in my final bowl. Also because I’m not very good at dicing things. You could say it got a little bit dicey… Anyway, toss the squash and carrots with the oil, salt, and herbs. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes, until the medium-sized pieces are tender (the larger pieces will be a little less tender, but the smaller pieces a little more so, so try to find the middle ground).
Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and steam over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until bright green and slightly tender.
To make the sauce, whisk everything together until smooth, adding as much or as little water as you like (I put mine in the microwave for a few seconds first, to make it easier to blend by hand).
Once the squash and carrots are done baking, the broccoli is steamed, and the sauce is blended, toss everything into a bowl with your quinoa or rice (I was in a rice mood), sprinkle with sesame seeds, and enjoy!
To be honest, most of what inspired me to make this recipe from This Rawsome Vegan Life was its vibrant colors (also why I added the purple carrot). It turned out to be so much more than just a pretty face! The veggies were delicious and the sauce really set them off. It was also so much easier than I expected. The hardest part, really, was peeling the squash and adding the carrot a minute late because I forgot about it at first. You need to set aside a little extra time because it does take a while for squash to bake, but without the carrots you could cut small cubes and cook them for a shorter time. The sauce is well worth the 60 seconds or so it takes to mix. I also got a chance to enjoy one of my value-added winter items from 4P Foods, an awesome glass of iced tea from Runningbyrd Tea Company. On the label is this adorable story about the owners’ childhoods in Georgia, where they’d sip tea on front porches and climb trees and generally enjoy a perfect southern summer. Granted, I was almost as far from that story as you could possibly be, but it made for a nice thought while I enjoyed my cold-weather treat.
I’ve got a few posts backed up to share with everyone, so stay tuned for more delicious wintry adventures. (As an added note, I got a new camera (read: phone), so once I get caught up I’ll have slightly more impressive pictures for you!)
