Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions with Lentils & Greens

Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions with Lentils & Greens

elicata Squash, Purple Onion, French Lentils, Garlic, Greensreens

This Thanksgiving, Find Joy in the Small Things, the Simple Things

More than ever, this year is about expressing gratitude for what we do have, for finding joy in the small and simple. Which for many of us means creating a simplified Thanksgiving menu that sparks joy. We’ll be enjoying this bright and flavorful Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions, with Lentils & Greens, Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions with Lentils & GreensTriple Delish Cranberry Sauce (cause what’s Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce?), Green Beans with Hazelnut Gremolata, and a slice (or two) of Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Coconut Cream. (Because my husband said we’ve got to have pie.)  Delicious. Nourishing. Comforting. Doable

With Thanksgiving morning’s first aroma coming from the pumpkin pie baking in the oven, our home will be filled with expectation throughout the day. Especially important this year, as we balance it with small things and simple experiences that nurture and heal our soul.

May Your Heart be filled with Joy. Your Mind filled with Peace. Your Home filled with Love.

Game Plan for This Simplified Menu
Starting today, make this your mantra:

Do everything in advance that can be done in advance.

  • From creating the menu to shopping.
  • Making cranberry sauce and pie crust.
  • Washing and prepping vegetables and herbs.
  • Laying out platters, bowls, serving utensils and pots and pans.
  • Setting the table, perhaps with your rarely used china.
  • Cleaning and clearing kitchen counters before going to bed Wednesday night.
  • Baking the pie first thing in the morning
  • Then, 2 hours before you want to eat, let the fun begin.

Note: for a more traditional feast, here is a collection of tried and true recipes along with my detailed Thanksgiving Checklist for an organized, almost stress-free feast.

Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions with Lentils & GreensRoasted Delicata Squash & Onions with Lentils & Greens

The abundance of earthy, sweet and tart flavors, Preparing Delicata Squash and Onionvelvety and crunchy textures, fall colors, rich aromas and abundant nutrients make for a bright and lively entrée or side dish. Perfect for holiday entertaining and for filling our hearts with Joy.

Inspired by and adapted from a recipe from Nik Sharma in the New York Times.

  • Note: for ease of mixing and drizzling, keep the pomegranate molasses and honey near the stove to warm them up both before preparing the dressing and after it is made.
  • Should you have one, a dark, rimmed half sheet pan (18” x 13”) makes for deeply roasted squash and onion.

Serves  4-5 entrée servings; 6+ as a side dish       Printer-Friendly Recipe
Time 1 ¼ hours

Ingredients

 For the Salad:

  • 1 (1- 1 ½ pound) Delicata squashDelicata Squash, Purple Onion, French Green Lentils, Garlic, Greens
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 twists freshly ground pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 medium purple or sweet onion
  • ½ teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¾ cup French green lentils or black lentils
  • 1 ¾ cups water
  • 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 lightly packed cups baby greens, i.e., power greens
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
  • ¼ cup each, coarsely chopped fresh parsley and cilantro or mint
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) crumbled fresh goat cheese or feta (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons roasted Pumpkin Sunflower & Sesame Seed Sprinkle

For the Pomegranate Molasses Dressing:

  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed in a garlic press
  • 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons warmed pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon warmed honey
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or other mild red pepper flakes
  • 12 twists freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

  1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place an oven rack on the lowest level. Line a rimmed half sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Prepare the squash: Trim the ends of the squash. Cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard them. Slice the squash crosswise ¾ -inch thick. In a medium bowl, toss the slices with 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/8th teaspoon salt. Place the slices close together in a single layer on the prepared pan.Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions
  3. Prepare the onion: Halve the onion and slice each half into ¾ -inch wide wedges. Using the same bowl, gently toss the onion wedges with ½ teaspoon olive oil and a large pinch of salt. Place them in a single layer on the same pan.
  4. Tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
  5. Prepare the lentils: Rinse and drain the lentils. Place them in a medium saucepan along with the cinnamon stick, smashed garlic, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 ¾ cups of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover the pan and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick, bay and garlic. Drain the lentils leaving a couple of tablespoons of liquid in the pan.  Then toss the lentils with the baby greens until the greens have wilted and become tender. Transfer the lentils and greens to the same bowl used to toss the squash and onion.
  6. Meanwhile, remove the foil from the sheet pan. Roast for another 12 minutes. Then, gently flip over the squash and onions. Return the pan to the oven to brown the second side, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer the squash and onion to the bowl with the lentils and greens.
  7. While the lentils and vegetables are cooking prepare the dressing: In a 1 cup jar, use a fork to whisk together all the ingredients until emulsified. Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions with Lentils & Greens For easy pouring, keep the dressing by the stove.
  8. Add ¾ of the thinly sliced scallions and chopped parsley and cilantro to the bowl with the lentils and vegetables. Gently toss everything with 3 tablespoons of the dressing.
  9. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with the optional goat cheese or feta and the rest of the herbs, scallions and Pumpkin Seed Sprinkle. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.
  10. Serve Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions with Lentils & Greens warm or at room temperature.

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