E: Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Walnuts

Happy Friday! What are your weekend plans? Outside the usual stuff, Josh and I are going up to my parents house for some brunch action. Other than that? Pretty open :)

Yesterday, I shared with you the dessert I will be making for Thanksgiving dinner and today, I am sharing the side dish. Since I am a vegetarian, I decided to make a side dish that packed some protein. When I found this recipe for butternut squash with black beans and walnuts, I knew this would be the one.  I did a test run, to make sure it would turn out as I had hoped. I made a few modifications, but nothing major.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Butternut Squash/Pumpkin peeled and cubed ( I cheated and purchased pre-peeled/cubed and just cut them down a bit)
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 hot green pepper, diced
• 1.5  cups cooked black beans ( I used canned)
• 1 Teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups spinach (I added this in for the test run only but don’t plan to use it on Thanksgiving)
• 3 Tablespoons lightly toasted walnuts
• Fresh lemon juice
• Fresh cilantro for garnish (I did not use this in my test run)

Directions:

Heat oil, caraway seeds and hot pepper in a thick bottomed pan or skillet; when the seeds sizzle, add the ginger, butternut squash/pumpkin cubes. Increase the heat to high and cook the squash/pumpkins tossing them frequently till they are light brown on the sides.

Now add the beans, red chili powder and 1/4 cup of water to the pan with the squash/pumpkin and cover and cook till the squash/pumpkin cubes are fork tender but firm.

Uncover and check to see if done. If there are any remaining water, increase the heat and let the water dry off. This is a dry dish. Add spinach and allow it to wilt. If done, add the walnuts; toss to combine well.

Finish it off with some fresh lemon juice and fresh chopped cilantro/coriander.

Finished product (pre-walnuts, I made this dish ahead and wanted to add the walnuts at the last minute):

 

And now, for the winners of the Jessica Seinfeld cookbook giveaway:

Erica from Fashion Meets Food

and

Lauren from Say What You Need to Say

Send me an email at itzyskitchen at gmail dot com with your address and I will get your cookbooks sent out to you! Congrats!!

Don’t forget to join in the December Blogger Baked Goods Exchange!!!