Chocolate + winter squash = awesome.
October 1st, 2009
Don’t miss out! There’s only a few days left to sign up for Small Group Wellness Coaching? This phone-based group is open to anyone, anywhere. Get support to get reach your health goals – sign up now!
Advising someone to eat seasonally is like asking them to breathe hot air in the summer and cold air in the winter. It’s just something that should…happen! No thought required.
But in our world of temperature controlled buildings and around-the-globe-12-times food transport, we’re less in touch with the seasons than ever before. It’s possible to go door-to-car all winter long, spending only a few seconds of each day experiencing the season. (Which doesn’t sound too bad when I think about the frigid wind of Boston winters, but still!)
There are a few angles to take on the seasonal eating topic and I’d love to hear what your thoughts are. For me, I like to consider that local, in-season food will not have traveled as far, thus saving the earth a few precious food miles.
But the reason I’m most interested in eating seasonally has more to do with the notion that nature provides exactly what we need as part of its amazing cycle.
**Insert epic sounding Lion King music here**
Consider the squirrel, the kind that scurry around on my next door neighbors rooftop while my cats go apeshit watching. The squirrels eat nuts all winter long – the perfect, dense food to get them through the colder months.
What I see are a lot of people, especially women, who have been taught that a healthy meal consists of a salad, piece of fruit, and a yogurt. Even if you add up all the calories and assume the produce and dairy are organic, this isn’t necessarily the right thing to eat.
In warm months, nature provides cooling foods like melon and light, green vegetables. Aside from the nutritional value, these foods help our bodies stay in balance during the hot weather. Come winter, nature hands us pumpkins, turnips and potatoes. These dense foods provide comfort and warmth when we need it most.
Don’t go overboard here. You don’t have to eat ONLY local, seasonal foods. New Englanders would have a real problem during winter if that were the case. Let’s appreciate that citrus reaches us from Florida and if we want an avocado we can find one! But try emphasizing seasonal foods and see how your body reacts.
One final reason to eat seasonally is because it can reduce cravings. Eat a turkey sandwich every day and in the summer you may crave something cold and refreshing – like ice cream! Eat that same turkey sandwich during the winter and your body may crave something more dense and warm – hot fudge! Signals get all kinds of mixed up at this point.
For the colder months, I adore winter squash varieties. This is my idea of a fun night out: Go the store and buy the craziest looking squash you can find. Then come home and figure out what it is and how to use it!
Delicata squash is one of my favorites. And here’s a secret – you don’t have to peel it. Nope. Same is true of most squashes. Just cook ‘em a little longer and keep the pretty skin on for extra fiber in your meal.
This recipe is a fantastic way to get your veggies, protein and dessert all in one pot! It’s adapted from Heidi’s Borlotti Bean recipe and I just LOVE it served with roasted potatoes. Don’t be stingy with the ingredients here – the paprika, chocolate and almonds are key!
Vegetarian Winter Molé
1 can pinto beans
3 cups unpeeled, chopped delicata squash (or other winter squash)
3 Tbl. olive oil
1 head dinosaur kale (or regular curly kale)
2 tablespoons organic butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 jalapenos, seeded, and chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 32 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons paprika
3 oz of almonds, dark roasted and ground
4 ounces 60% dark chocolate chips
1 Tbl. salt or to taste
Rinse and soak beans in cold water for a few hours if possible.
Preheat oven to 350F. Halve squash and remove seeds (you can roast them later!) Chop 3/4-1″ pieces, place them in a baking dish and toss with oil. Roast for about 20 minutes until softened on the outside but still firm. Reduce the oven temperature to 250F.
Cut kale into ribbons, keeping stem intact. Set aside. Melt butter in large oven-proof saucepan over medium heat and add onions and jalepenos. Stir and cook for 15 minutes, until onions carmelize. Add garlic and cook 3 more minutes. Add tomatoes and paprika, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the almonds, chocolate, squash, beans, kale, and salt. Stir until the chocolate has melted.
Transfer saucepan to oven, or pour mixture into a large casserole dish. Cover and put it in the oven to cook gently for 2 hours. You’ll be tempted to eat this after the first hour or so, but trust me, it gets better after the full 2 hours!
Serves 6-8.
This post is part of Kitchen Stewardship’s October Fest Carnival of Superfoods.
Pingback: Experimental Kitchen Love « Summer of the CSAs