Holiday season is upon us, which means we are all scrambling to find new (& easy) recipes to feed ourselves & our family.
I like to try to keep things as healthy as possible around this time of year, so playing with seasonal vegetables is something I really enjoy.
Since it’s fall, root vegetables are currently in season…meaning now is the time of year to grab all of your favorite squash, beets,
potatoes, etc & get in the kitchen.
This recipe I created for you is extra unique and will really add something special to your table since it uses a salt block for baking and added flavor.
Not only did the salt block help to season the squash perfectly, it also works well for other dinner ideas too. Anything from grilling, plating salads, or seasoning…the salt block takes your cooking skills up a notch.
It is important to know how to use a salt block correctly if you’re planning on baking with it. You want to start on a low oven setting, let it bake for 10-15 minutes, and then turn up the heat to your desired temperature. For this particular recipe, I preheat my oven to 200 degrees and let the squash and salt block bake for exactly 10 minutes before raising the temperature to 375 degrees. This ensures that your salt block will be kept safe, and your vegetables will not burn while the block heats up.
Serving Size: 4
Prepared on Salt Block
What you need:
1 Large Butternut Squash
1 Medium Yellow Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Minced Garlic
1 1/2 tsp Sage
1 tsp White Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
* Start by chopping off the ends of the squash, then cutting down the middle and removing the seeds. Once your squash is cleaned, cut into desired thickness/shapes.
* Peel and cut (I do slivers) your onion
* Add Pecans to mixture
* Once all of your main ingredients are together, add remaining oil and spices
* Mix together to ensure all squash is covered. No need to worry about salt, the block will have that covered for you!
* Once everything is combined, add salt block to your 200 degree oven and bake for 10 minutes
* After 10 minutes, raise the heat to 375 degrees and cook for another
20 minutes or until squash is soft
* Top with fresh sage or thyme, & voila! You’ve got yourself a tasty and perfect side dish
As for clean up, no dishes, pots, or pans are involved…which makes using the Salt Block even more enticing. Simply discard and put away the leftovers, then run the block under cold water to clean. Once it’s dry, you’re all set up to start cooking on it again.