Butternut Squash, 3 Ways

These three recipes use roasted, pureed butternut squash in ways usually reserved for cheese — and you’ll never even miss it. See how butternut squash lends a slight sweetness to mac and cheese, dip and even baked jalapeno poppers while delivering creaminess.

Butternut Mac and Cheese

Yield: 9 servings

One 2-pound butternut squash (peeled, seeded and chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces) or 2 cups canned butternut squash puree
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups coconut milk or low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
2 teaspoons chopped sage leaves
10 ounces gluten-free penne pasta, cooked for 5 minutes in boiling water and drained
1/4 cup finely crushed unsweetened rice cereal
2 tablespoons homemade or store-bought pesto

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
In a large bowl and using a hand blender, puree the squash and milk until smooth. Stir in the pecorino, sage and cooked pasta; season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a greased 8-by-8-inch baking dish.
In a small bowl, stir together the cereal crumbs and pesto until combined; scatter evenly over the top of the pasta mixture. Bake uncovered until heated through and golden, about 20 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 91; Fat 4 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 0.3 g; Sodium 38 mg; Carbohydrate 12 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugars 1 g; Protein 2 g

Butternut Squash-Chickpea Dip

Yield: 8 servings

One 1 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red onion, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for tossing
Salt and pepper
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons water
Juice of 1 lemon
Chopped parsley, for serving

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash and onion on the prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
In a medium bowl and using a hand blender, puree the squash, half of the onion, chickpeas, garlic, tahini, water and lemon until chunky; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the remaining onion, thinly sliced, and parsley.

Per serving: Calories 108; Fat 6 (Saturated 0.8 g); Sodium 96 mg; Carbohydrate 13 g; Fiber 3 g; Sugars 0 g; Protein 3 g

Butternut Squash Jalapeno Poppers

Yield: 8 servings

1 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought butternut squash puree, thawed and drained if frozen
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
10 large jalapenos, halved and seeded, 2 chopped
Salt and pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Homemade or store-bought gluten-free flour, for dredging
Crushed rice cereal, for dredging

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the squash, paprika, oregano and chopped jalapeno; season with salt and pepper. Stuff the jalapeno halves with the squash mixture.

Place the flour, egg and cereal in three separate small bowls for dredging. Coat each jalapeno first with the egg, then the flour, then the egg, then the cereal crumbs. Grease lightly with cooking spray. Bake until golden and crunchy, about 20 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 30; Fat 0.2 (Saturated 0 g); Sodium 16 mg; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugars 0.7 g; Protein 2 g

Silvana Nardone is the author of the Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

from Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog http://ift.tt/1OIyJxq