Exploding Squash

Everyone has their favourite meal. It's usually comforting, delicious and their ultimate pick-me-up in times of need. For me, I had found several recipes that I love (shout out to Deliciously Ella's Buddha Bowl), however I wanted to find something that felt truly indulgent.

After my sister sent me a photo of her baked butternut squash, the idea for exploding squash was born. It combines squash - my favourite vegetable - with lots of other deliciously veggies and rice in a seriously tasty dressing. Perfect for Saturday nights snuggled in front of the TV, my exploding squash recipe will leave you feeling really satisfied and is packed with nourishing veggies and a wonderfully creamy dressing.

Ingredients (Serves 2)
1 x medium butternut squash
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup mushrooms
1 white onion
1 red onion
1 garlic clove
2 cups kale
1 cup spinach
A handful of long-stem broccoli
1 1/2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp miso paste
Extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle on at the end)
Pinch of sea salt

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
2. Chop the butternut squash in half and scoop the seeds out. Place it face down on a baking tray lined with foil. Put the squash in the oven for 45 minutes. Tip - drizzle some coconut oil on the foil to stop the squash from sticking to it.
3. Whilst the squash is in the oven, chop the mushrooms, onions and garlic.
4. Once the 45 minutes is up for the butternut squash, flip it so it is facing upwards (ie the skin will now be on the baking tray). Season the squash with herbs - my favourites are turmeric and rosemary. Something about rosemary works so well with butternut squash! Then place the squash back in the oven for 20 mins.
5. Cook the rice. This should take about 15-20 mins.
6. Whilst the squash and rice are cooking, pan fry the mushrooms, onions and garlic in coconut oil. Add the kale and spinach towards the end so that they wilt but don't dry out.
7. Put the contents of the frying pan into a bowl and mix in the tahini and miso paste. Add the rice once it has finished cooking and stir everything together.
8. Place the long-stem broccoli in the oven for the last 3 minutes. The broccoli will not need longer than this - it dries out very quickly!
9. When the squash has finished in the oven, take it out and place it on a plate. Scoop the ingredients in the bowl onto the squash and into it's hollow fleshy part. Place the broccoli on top to finish.
10. Have the miso paste to hand in case you want to dollop some more on top and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the food.

Feel free to play around with the quantities in my recipe - I hardly ever stick to the book and mix things up every time. It keeps you from being bored with the food and is the only way you'll make things that are to your taste.

Enjoy!

- Anna