Here’s a delicious vegan dish that’s perfect for heart health and a Valentine’s dinner. Red kuri squash hails from Japan and has brilliant orange flesh. And the skin is edible too! It’s not such a struggle to cut, and the flavor almost has a buttery nutty overtone. We paired it with a filling made of powerful nutrients that will keep your cardio ticking well.
Flexibility plus
If kuri squash is hard to find, switch it up with a kabocha or acorn squash. If pomegranates aren’t to be found, substitute with dried cranberries or golden raisins that have been plumped in warm water.
Chinese five-spice powder
A tasty seasoning to have on hand for a myriad of dishes, Chinese five-spice powder is delicious sprinkled over chicken, pork, or glazed carrots and is so easy to make on your own. In dry pan, toast 5 whole star anise pods and 2 tsp peppercorns over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to spice grinder along with 1 1/2 Tbsp fennel seeds. Pulse until finely ground. Pass through sieve into small bowl. Stir in 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground cloves. Store in tightly sealed jar for up to 6 months. Makes approximately 1/4 cup.
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- 2 1/2 lb red kuri squash 1.25 kg
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup dry wheat berries
- 3 cups hot water
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup shelled hazelnuts toasted and chopped
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts optional
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley plus extra sprigs for garnish
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- Freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 orange
- 1/4 cup full-fat plain yogurt
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Cut each half into 2 wedges. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, brush inside flesh with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in center of oven for 35 to 45 minutes, flipping wedges once halfway through baking, until squash is tender when pierced. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing filling.
- While squash bakes, prepare filling. In large dry saucepan, toast wheat berries for a few minutes, stirring until they become fragrantly nutty. Add hot water, pouring in slowly as it will sputter. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and, with lid ajar, simmer berries for about 1 1/4 hours, or until tender but still firm. Drain and strain when berries are as tender as you’d like. Transfer to bowl. Add arils, chopped toasted hazelnuts, hemp hearts, parsley, and Chinese five-spice. Drizzle with orange juice and gently fold together to evenly blend. Add more seasonings, to taste, if you wish.
- To serve, place 2 wedges of squash on each serving plate. Spoon filling overtop. Dollop each with 1 Tbsp yogurt and garnish with sprigs of parsley.
Per serving: 189 calories; 8 g protein; 8 g fat (2 g sat. fat); 25 g total carbohydrates (9 g sugar, 4 g fiber); 206 mg sodium
