Don’t use your Halloween squash for decorations only: eat them!
don't be afraid of your butternut squash
Last week our Trader Joe’s store was selling butternut squash straight from Stockton, California for only $1.49 each. So cheap, yahoo! I bought 2 of them. Steven immediately asked, “why so many?” with obvious anxiety. He’s funny about squash. “To eat, of course.” I was thinking of getting even more but decided to settle for just two after that little exchange. I have always adored squash of all types. It’s a good thing too, as I grew up eating them all the time. Among the many kinds, butternut and kabocha are my favorite.
This recipe is an adaptation of my mother’s Quibebe, a pumpkin stew, except that here I have added raw cashew nut for a bit of crunch, tempeh for extra protein and jalapeño peppers for extra kick. It turned out very tasty.
Our friend John came over for dinner to catch up and hear about our recent trip to the DC area on that day. He approved of this dish. I even got an email from him later on with this cute message:
Hello,
The dinner was the best I’ve had in ages! Everything was tre fab!
Love,
Juanita Granola
creepy and festive Halloween pumpkin stew
Thanks for your encouragement, Juanita! Here’s one of the recipes from our “granola” dinner party:
Butternut Squash, Cashew Nut and Tempeh Stew AKA Quibebe
1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeds and guts removed, cut into small cubes
2 chopped jalapeño peppers (green and red) seeds and ribs removed, or not for extra heat
4 minced cloves of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 lb (8oz) multigrain tempeh cut in ¾ inch cubes
½ tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup raw cashew nuts
Approx ¾ cup of water
How to:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep pan. Add jalapeño pepper and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute or so. Add squash cubes, salt, pepper, sugar. Give it a good stir. Add 1/2 cup water then cover pan. Cook on high temperature for about 4 minutes. Add tempeh and cashew nuts. Continue cooking till squash cubes have been dissolved. Adjust seasoning. Remove from heat. Let it cool down approx. 5-10 minutes. Serve over rice: brown for that extra-granola factor, or black Thai rice, like we did, for the holiday color.