A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great (15 page)

1
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2
In a large bowl, combine the assorted squash cubes and maple syrup. Season with the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and toss to evenly coat. Arrange the squash on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Cover the pan with foil to help the squash to cook in its own steam and become more infused with the spices. Bake until the squash is soft, about 35 minutes.

3
Remove the squash from the oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes, still covered with the foil.

4
While the squash is still warm, transfer it to a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and lightly toss; don’t rough it up too much and break down the squash. Add salt to taste and top each serving with a sprinkling of spiced pumpkin seeds.

Instinct tells you to use a giant cleaver and brute force to hack away at it. Don’t. There’s an easy, effective way that’s less likely to involve a 911 call. Start by using a small, sharp knife, rather than a big one; you’ll have far more control. Lay the squash on its side on a stable cutting board. You’re going to cut it through the equator, rotating as you go.

Kabocha, red kuri, or Delicata (Carnival) squash:
Pierce a knife in the center at the equator so the whole blade is in, push down, and rotate the squash. Push down again and rotate. Continue pushing the knife down and rotating the squash until it’s fully cut in half. Cut the halves lengthwise into strips of the width you want (for this salad, 1½ inches), then crosswise into cubes.

Butternut squash:
Cut the squash in half where the round bulbous part meets the long section. Carefully peel the skin off the long section using a knife first. Then use a vegetable peeler to remove any of the remaining bits of skin and pale yellow flesh. You should see only orange flesh. Halve the long section lengthwise. Lay the halves flat side down and cut lengthwise into strips, then crosswise into cubes. For the bulb, peel it and halve it lengthwise. Scoop out the guts and seeds, place each bulb flat-side down, and cut lengthwise into strips, then crosswise into cubes.

1
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, strawberries, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and a couple pinches of salt and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.

2
Pour the gazpacho into a large bowl or, for a super smooth gazpacho, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Refrigerate until chilled.

3
To serve, ladle the gazpacho into bowls. Chop the reserved strawberries and top each serving of soup with the berries, torn basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.

1
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat. When wisps of smoke come off the surface, add one-third of the onion and cauliflower at a time, waiting 1 minute between each addition, then add 2 generous pinches of salt. There should be some serious sizzling sounds, but don’t stir just yet—let the florets brown and start to caramelize. After 3 minutes, give it a stir. Cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables have cooked down by a third. Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute.

2
Add the apples and tied rosemary sprigs. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3
Add the apple cider and 2½ cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

4
Working in batches, process the mixture in a blender until smooth. As each batch is blended, pour into another pot over medium heat. Once it’s all in, adjust the consistency by adding more water, if you like. Salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a sprinkling of crumbled apple chips and chopped walnuts, if desired.