I love the gorgeous colors of winter squash; the sheer number of varieties is astounding! One personal favorite is butternut squash, its brilliant orange and delicious flavor standing out in many dishes. I enjoy using it in soups, stews and turnovers, along with the dish below. I got the idea of this from a local natural foods store; this recipe is my own version. The toasted pecans add a nice depth of flavor.

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 2-lb. butternut squash (or substitute your favorite)
1/3 cup broken pecan pieces
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup dried cranberries
cinnamon and nutmeg
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Agave syrup

1) Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and peel or slice the skin off.

2) Chop the squash into ½”-1” cubes. Place in lightly oiled glass baking dish, spreading the squash out so there’s just one layer.

3) Add the nuts and dried fruits. Sprinkle on cinnamon and a grating of fresh nutmeg to taste.

4) Pour the olive oil and Agave over the squash and bake at 375º F until the squash is tender. Serve at once. Yum!


This next recipe is another personal favorite, using many different root vegetables at once. It’s very adaptable: if you only have certain vegetables, use them, or substitute others.

Roasted root vegetables

1 golden or yellow potato
1 yam
1 carrot
1 red or yellow beet
1 onion
1 parsnip
1 small turnip
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2-3 cloves garlic or ¼ tsp. garlic powder or salt

1) Wash the potato, yam, and carrot. Peel the remaining vegetables.

2) Cut all veggies into French-fry shapes, and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet or baking pan.

3) Add the garlic and rosemary and roast veggies at 400º until tender and golden-crisp. Serve hot.

For a variation, you can add a sprinkling of Balsamic vinegar to the pan before roasting. Feel free to experiment with different seasonings, too.


Baked Apples and Onions

4 small red onions
4 apples of your choice
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. olive or coconut oil

1) Peel and slice the onions. Peel, core and quarter the apples, then slice them.

2) Place onion and apple slices in a baking pan, and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3) Bake at 375º F until tender, about 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and serve at once. This is a nice side dish for a chicken or meat entrée.