Roasted Butternut Squash and Green Beans

For an easy breezy lemon squeezy cooking experience, chucking things into a pan then into the oven is honestly the way to go. And butternut squash—and her BFFs pumpkin and sweet potatoes—respond well to this level of chill.

These 3 root vegetables (although technically, squash is a fruit, but let’s not get into that) are rich in essential nutrients like vitamin A, C and E, iron, magnesium, and calcium. Compared to her peers though, butternut squash contains slightly more complex carbs making it slightly more nutritionally well-rounded. Not only does it pack a bit more nutrients but it’s also higher in dietary fiber and digests more slowly, which makes it more filling and a good option for weight-loss and blood sugar control.

I think this is why in Tanzania, butternut squash (and pumpkin and sweet potato— cannot stress enough how excellent substitutes these are) is consumed in various ways from its leaves to its stems, flowers, fruit, skin and seeds. Whether boiled with a pinch of salt (optional*) to be eaten with tea in the morning, mashed into a porridge to wean babies, roasted and served with a stew made solely from its leaves and a dash of peanut butter, made into a hearty soup, or only it’s seeds roasted and eaten as a crunchy snack on the go, butternut squash is an OG sweet and savory staple that packs a nutritional punch.

Here’s how you can make an easy vegan Roasted Butternut squash and Green Beans meal to enjoy, at your laziest.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 pinch salt and pepper

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1 butternut squash, halved, cored and scored

2 large handfuls green beans

Optional salad (but advisable because it’ll really round out flavors)

1 small lettuce, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

1 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped chives (or scallions, leeks)

1 large lime, juiced

Pinch salt

Method

1. In a small bowl whisk oil, garlic salt and pepper until combined.

2. Place the butternut squash halves and green beans on a lined baking pan (for easy cleanup after) and rub the garlic mixture generously onto the veggies.

3. Bake in a 400F or 200C oven for about 30 minutes or until the squash is tender to your liking and has turned golden-brown in places.

4. For the salad, toss lettuce, carrots, red onions, chives, together in a large bowl. Season with lemon juice and salt to taste.

5. Serve and enjoy together.

xoxo