Spicy Butternut Squash DIY... Tasty =]

Yummy meal I had made this evening which was purely from the top of my head. I had a left-over half of butternut squash in the fridge I wanted to use up today and it was the half where the seeds are found; scraping these out to leave a crater within the vegetable to which gave me various ideas as to what I could have with this favourite vegetable of mine. For protein, I thought I could try cracking an egg in the little indents and perhaps top with slices of tomato and spinach. Looking in the fridge to see I had one carrot, celery and some leftover mushroom stalks from the mushrooms mum used for her bolognaise dish she had prepared tonight, I thought I might as well use these up. So here I go. This was my basis for my meal and everything else just added along the way.

     

CRACKED EGGS IN ½ BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH A TANDOORI STYLE MIX OF VEGETABLES AND CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients

½ Butternut Squash, seeds scooped out

1 egg, separated and yolk discarded

1 large carrot, diced

2 celery stick, chopped

½ courgette, diced

5 mushroom stalks, chopped into chunks

½ red onion, sliced

3 cauliflower florets

3 Tbsp non-fat natural yogurt

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

2 Tsp Turmeric

1 Tsp Garam Masala

Pinch Hot chilli powder

Tsp dried parsley

2 Tbsp Quark

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

2 Tsp Turmeric

1 Tsp Garam Masala

Pinch Hot chilli powder

Method

1.                   Preheat oven to 200'C.  Place the two halves of the butternut squash into a glass casserole dish and add ~ 5 Tbsp. of water. Heat on high for 7 mins. Turn the butternut squash skin side up and heat again on high for a further 5 mins.

2.                   Remove the butternut squash from the microwave and add one egg white to each of the craters in the squash and top with one sliced tomato and and handful of spinach. Place in the oven for 16 mins.

3.                   Whilst the squash is in the oven cut up the veg and add the carrot, celery and mushrooms to a glass casserole. Microwave on high for 3 mins and remove. Add to this the spices and yogurt. Mix well and then add the courgette and then place into the oven with the cooking butternut squash.

4.                   Add the cauliflower and red onion to a third bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 3 mins. Remove from the microwave and also remove the vegetables from the oven. Mix the cauliflower and red onion in with the veg and mix well. Return to the oven for a further 10 mins.

5.                   Remove the butternut squash from the oven and into one half of butternut squash spread with the same spices used for the yogurt dressing but replace with quark and spread this onto the butternut squash. Return to the oven for a further 5 mins or so.

6.                   Serve onto a plate the butternut squash and the veggies on the side. Top with spinach and a sprinkling of pepper.

Totally lovely and avoids the need to awkwardly peel the butternut squash as this becomes edible after baking whole! =] Yum yum!