Yams & Squash

"Candied" Yams and Parsnips

A vegetable side dish that could easily double as dessert!

• 1 lb. parsnips, peeled or scrubbed well and chopped into bite-size chunks
• 2 yams, peeled and chopped into bite-size chunks
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 /4 c. sucanat
• 1 /4 tsp. salt
• 2-3 T. butter
• OPTION: 1/2 c. pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Butter a baking dish. Add parsnips and yams.
2. In a small bowl, mix the sucanat, cinnamon and salt together.
3. Sprinkle the sucanat mixture over the vegetables and stir gently, making sure it's evenly distributed.
4. Add a few pats of butter on top.
5. Cover the dish and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.
6. Remove pan from oven, stir the vegetables gently and sprinkle the pecans (IF using) on top. Return to oven UNcovered, and continue baking for 15 more minutes, or until vegetables are all the way tender.

Makes 4-6 servings

Quick Garlic Mashed Squash

Don't have time to bake squash? This is a fast and delicious way to prepare it. Use a peeled butternut squash (easy to peel with a peeler), or a kabocha or red kuri squash, neither of which need peeling.

• 1 large butternut squash (peeled) OR 1 large kabocha or red kuri squash, chopped into bite-size chunks
• 4-8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 T. butter
• salt
• water OR chicken stock

1. Place squash chunks in a medium-large saucepan. Add water OR stock to come up about 1/3 of the way to the top of the squash.
2. Add the garlic and a few pinches of salt and bring to boil.
3. Cook squash, stirring often, around 15 minutes. The squash will be tender and there will be liquid left in the pot.
4. Add butter and puree the squash with an immersion blender or electric mixer until smooth. Serve with butter and salt.

Makes 4-6 servings