Meg's Meal Planning

butternut squash

Roasted Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Kale

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Roasted gnocchi and butternut squash with kale mixed in a creamy, healthy Alfredo sauce. A hearty, vegetarian dinner that is perfect for the winter months.

gnocchi and butternut squash

Everything about this dish, I just love. From the roasted gnocchi to the soft and tender kale to the healthier Alfredo sauce, I’m pretty positive you will fall in love with this meal. It’s the perfect family dinner for a cold winter night. Pour yourself a nice glass of wine or curl up under a blanket on the couch and enjoy this seasonal meal.

Roasting the gnocchi gives the pasta a slight crispiness, but if that’s not your thing, you can always boil them instead. Roasting them is just one less pan to wash! Using precut butternut squash is a huge time saver, which is what I did for this recipe. If you choose to use a whole butternut squash, just make sure to peel and cut into bite size pieces and adjust your baking time.

Butternut squash gnocchi

Almost every time I see a recipe that calls for traditional Alfredo sauce or heavy cream, I stay away. I prefer something lighter and healthier. That’s what makes this Alfredo sauce the perfect in between – you get the taste of the traditional sauce without the heavy cream. This sauce is made with milk; I used whole milk to make it a little richer.

If you really want to get fancy and make homemade gnocchi, find my recipe here! But for the sake of time, I used store bought gnocchi.

Gnocchi with butternut squash

Roasted Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Kale
 
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Roasted gnocchi and butternut squash with kale mixed in a creamy, healthy Alfredo sauce. A hearty, vegetarian dinner that is perfect for the winter months.
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, separated
  • 12 oz butternut squash, cut into bite size pieces
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • 17.5 oz package of gnocchi
  • 2 cups kale washed and chopped
  • Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast butternut squash on baking sheet with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
  2. Meanwhile melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat, whisk in flour for about 3 minutes.
  3. Whisk in chicken broth and milk, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. It will continue to thicken once you let it sit and once poured over the gnocchi. Careful not to let sauce boil over.
  4. In large pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil over low heat, add gnocchi and cook 4-6 minutes or until tender. Transfer gnocchi to a plate.
  5. In the same large pan, add kale and cook until welted, add the Alfredo sauce, stir to combine.
  6. Add butternut squash and gnocchi to pan and stir well. Remove from heat.
  7. Top with parmesan cheese.

 

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kale, butternut squash, gnocchi

Butternut Squash Risotto

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Creamy and flavorful butternut squash risotto is the perfect, hearty meal just in time for fall.

A new season brings new recipes. I’m excited for crock pot meals, soups, and using in-season produce like butternut squash!

Any good risotto takes a while to simmer, so if you don’t have a lot of time during the week, you can cook this in advance over the weekend or the night before.

Butternut Squash Risotto
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ½ butternut squash, washed, peeled, and cubed into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ cup onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1½ cups Arborio rice
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet.
  2. Add butternut squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove from pan, set aside.
  4. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to cast iron, then add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time. Stir the rice frequently until cooked through.
  6. Add the butternut squash to the pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

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Vegetarian soup 

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Even though we are far from vegetarians, my husband and I both love this soup. It’s a one pot meal, packs plenty of flavor, and between the kale, sweet potato, butternut squash, and quinoa, you will feel full and satisfied! 

  

Vegetarian soup with kale and quinoa

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped 
  • 2 cups chopped butternut squash
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 cans  (14 1/2 oz) reduced sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 cans (15 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 cups chopped kale, ribs and stems removed
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

  1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sweet potato, butternut squash, and bay leaves. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
  2. Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Stir in the quinoa and season with rosemary and thyme. Cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa is soft. Stir in the kale and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
 

This recipe was inspired from here