2 January, 2016

Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples Cranberries and Candied Walnuts

Comments : 7 Posted in : Side Dish on January 2, 2016 by : Cook Plate Fork Tags: Butternut squash, candied nuts, candied walnuts, Christmas, Christmas dinner, cranberry, Cranberry sauce, Domesticated turkey, Nut roast, Roasting, Sweet potato, Sweet potato casserole

Here is a great dish that we believe you don’t have to wait until the Autumn months to enjoy. Cranberries are harvested September thru November, and are found fresh in the stores in the months of November and December. Cranberries are always associated with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Cranberries freeze well for up to one year, so why not buy yourself a few extra bags to enjoy them other parts of the year.

Did you know that in January the packaged cranberries that have not sold are reduced in price, which has been from 98 cents to around $1.25 around the past few years. The bags that do not sell, the markets store away in their freezers until next year.

Cranberries are another food crop that depend on bees for pollination. The fruit is a berry, and it is larger than the leaves of the plant.

Once the berry starts to form, it is initially white, turning a deep red when fully ripe. The berry has an acidic taste that can overwhelm its sweetness.

—Read More About Our Declining Pollinator Population: Continued Downfall of the Bee Only Intensifies Malnutrition —

Cranberries are related to bilberries, blueberries, and huckleberries.

A common misconception about cranberry production is that the beds remain flooded throughout the year, but rather the beds are irrigated regularly to maintain soil moisture during the growing season.

Beds are flooded in the autumn to facilitate harvest and again during the winter to protect against low temperatures.

Our feature recipe is an example of how you can enjoy those cranberries throughout the year, and here is what you will need to enjoy the flavors of – Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples Cranberries and Candied Walnuts.

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

2 large cooking apples, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup brown sugar, can use coconut sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon gluten-free flour

1 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon 5-star Chinese spice

1/2 cup candied walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl mix in prepared fruits (yes butternut squash is actually a fruit). Next mix in spice mix and butter, mix in until well coated.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and spice.

Spoon coated fruit mix into a 13 X 9 inch baking glass pan.

Roast 50-60 minutes for a tender dish, and for or a lighter crunchy bit, roast for 30 minutes. Test the squash to feel its crunchiness by forking the squash and eating it, and if the squash has a slight firm texture but not mushy, then it’s done roasting.We found these candied walnuts in the Whole Foods Market. The are walnut halves, which we broke up into pieces.

Spoon the roasted fruit into a serving bowl and top with candied walnuts. Before serving, mix walnuts in. You also have the option to serve the side dish with the walnuts on the side, allowing your family and guests to spoon on the walnuts if they wish.