Stuffed Squash

It was a very orange day in my kitchen today.  First the pumpkin/carrot soup, then the stuffed squash.

I cut 3 delicata squash (one very tiny, for our little guy, the rest were average size, maybe 1#) in half, scooped out the stringy parts and seeds.  Placed all the 1/2's face down on a nonstick pan and roasted in the oven for an hour at 400 degrees.

I prepared Near East Whole grains w/ pecans on the stovetop, ditching any added oils.  When all was ready (if you start the grains 1/2 an hour after the squash, all will be ready together), I stuffed the cooked grains/nuts into the squash and served.  For the little guy, we scooped out the cooked squash and mixed it with the grains on his plate.  The little squash shells really hold their heat, and we wanted his food to cool off fast. 

Very easy, and no leftovers.

Pumpkin Carrot Ginger Soup with Coconut

My sister started to tell me about a yummy pumkin/carrot soup that had coconut milk in it.  She sent me the link, and since I made quite a few substitutions, here's my version of the soup.

1 medium pumpkin or winter squash (mine was probably 2-3 #'s and was a sunshine squash from our CSA fasrm share). Cut into quarters, scoop out the stringy parts and seeds and roast in the oven at 400 for about an hour.

1 bunch of leeks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4-1/2 Cup Shredded coconut
3 large carrots, finely sliced
1-2 teaspoons minced ginger
water

Water saute the leeks till soft, add in the garlic and cilantro (I didn't have fresh, I used the frozen cubes from Dorot, available at Trader Joes) and ginger.  Stir, and add in the carrots and coconut.  Cover and simmer till the carrots are soft, time will vary based on how thin you slice them.  Cube the roasted squash and add to the soup pot, along with enough water to cover everything.  Simmer covered on low for 15-20 minutes.  Carefully blend with an immersion blender in the pot, or wait till it's cooler to use regular blender.