kabocha two ways

Yet again, I bring you another two-fer recipe. They both were so so good, yet so so different! I absolutely LOVE squash. And Kale. And pretty much everything else in these recipes, but the squash stands out as the all-star tonight because it, to me, is the ultimate gustatory reminder of fall. It's funny- just a few years ago, the only squash that i knew of were zucchini and pumpkin. To me, zucchini=summer, pumpkin=winter. Now, I couldn't imagine going through fall and winter without having various types of squash. Here's a few variaties to spur your imagination:

As the post's title states, the squash I chose was a kabocha. Pronounced ka-bow-ka, it is a sweeter type squash that I describe as a mix between a butternut and an pumpkin. Roasted, it has a rich, succulent flavor and velvety texture; raw, it is crisp, crunchy and almost as sweet as a sweet potato. High in beta carotene along with vitamin C, iron, potassium, folic acid, calcium, and trace B vitamins. Basically, a nutrient powerhouse, that is, as long as it's not cooked over 118*F.

image courtesy of http://cleananddelicious.com

In order to make these recipes, I had to start off by cutting the top of the kabocha off and scooping out the seeds and innards. While cooking and dehydrating, I decided to nosh on the lid I had cut off, wondering if it was worth discarding. Let me tell you, it WASN'T. I had actually had, for a split second, regretted dehydrating the "raw" version. Thank God I'm one lazy mofo though, because man-oh-man did the raw version come out amazing. That being said, I have a bag of raw sliced kabocha waiting for me for tommorrows snack. (SO EXCITED!)

Alright, enough about tomorrows snack, lets talk about my amazeballs dinner tonight!

Vegan Stuffed Kabocha with Kale and "Sausage"

Go get these yummies:

• 1/2 of a kabocha (de-seeded and uncapped)
• 1 oz of GoodLife's vegan sausage
• 1/2 bunch of kale (torn)
• 1/2 red onion
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of cayenne
• dash of sage
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1/8 cup of white wine *option= substitute water
• 1/2 T coconut oil
• 1 clove garlic (sliced)
• 1 tsp truffle oil *optional
• pine nut parmesan "cheese"
• sprinkle of Daiya Mozzarella "cheese"

Make the magic like this:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F and roast squash for 35 min.
2. While the squash is roasting, melt coconut oil and truffle oil in a saute pan
3. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft
4. Add crumbled sausage and saute until brown
5. add spices, a eighth cup of wine or water, and the kale
6. mix until kale is soft and liquid is evaporated
7. set aside filling mixture to cool; when it cools, add "parm" sprinkles 
8. Take out squash when soft and slightly browned around edges. Add fililng, and sprinkle Daiya Mozz ontop and watch it melt. 
9. Settle into your favorite spot on the couch with your favorite person, book, or movie, and a comfy blanket. Don't forget your glass of wine, and you're good to go. 

Yes, this is partially eaten. It was WAY prettier than this before I dug in like a squirrel in a basket of nuts. 

Raw Kale and Kabocha Salad

Try and get this stuff organic:

• 1/2 kabocha squash (deseeded, decapped, chopped, and peeled)
• 1/2 of a lemons' juice
• dash nutmeg
• dash salt and pepper
• dash cayenne
• 1 bunch sage
• 1/2 bunch kale
• 1/2 Red Onion (sliced thin)
• 1/2 c mushrooms (diced)
• dash cumin
• dash Nama shoyu
• dash salt and pepper
• sprinkle of Cashew cheese or Nutritional yeast flakes *optional

Mix it all together like this:

1. Morning or night before: add chopped kabocha to dehydrator for 10 hours at 115*F
2. at five hours into process, flip squash to ensure even-ness, and add onion slices
3. In a large bowl, add kale, lemon juice, and a little salt. Using your hands, massage the salt-juice mixture into the kale until it is soft. Drain off lemon juice and rinse kale in colander
4. in a smaller bowl, add mushrooms. Spritz with Nama Shoyu and add "parm" plus the remaining spices. Mix, and set aside to marinate for 1 hour.  
5. When the squash is softened (after 8-20 hours) and the onions are soft, remove them from the dehydrator. Add them to bowl with mushrooms and toss. 
6. Drain off excess liquids if there are any and pour ontop of the kale. Very lightly sprinkle cashew cheese or nutritional yeast over top if you'd like. Toss, and Mow it down! (I enjoyed mine with a glass of coconut water. Such a great digestive, if you will.)

For dessert, I enjoyed this fabulous gift from my grape-buyer bf: 

That's right, be jealous. I'm betting they'll be gone in 4 days, max. Because in this house, grapes, unlike diamonds, don't last forever. But that doesn't stop me from getting equally excited for them both. ;)