This pasta is everything: a hearty, creamy, cheesy, flavorful bowl of autumn comfort! Flavored with shallots, garlic, and thyme, the creamy and sweet butternut squash is pureed with a dash of cream into a rich velvety sauce. A sprinkling of pecorino romano cheese balances out the sweetness of the squash and makes this the perfect dish for the holidays.  I use this dish as an elevated and elegant fall pasta entree, similar to fettuccine Alfredo, that is both healthier and lighter all the while being just as rich and more flavorful!

The beautiful orange color of the pasta is an ode to the colorful fall season of the Midwest, thanks to the in-season delicious butternut gourds everywhere. I love cooking with these squashes because they just taste so delicious, and provide such high nutrition. Butternut squash is an excellent source of antioxidants vitamins a, c, and e. It is also high in iron, folate, and manganese. Surprisingly, butternut squash is especially high in potassium; it actually provides more potassium than the long touted banana! Potassium is essential for lowering blood pressure, as well as preventing stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Being a mindful eater, I like to remind myself and my family: everything you eat can heal you or make you sick. Because this pasta sauce is 90% butternut squash and vegetables, you really do not need to worry about losing out on great nutrition. Enjoy this delicious and healthy pasta dish, guilt free!

While this makes for a delicious and sophisticated pappardelle or fettuccine pasta entree that you can toss with mushrooms or red peppers,  I have also adapted this dish for picky kids by cooking it with bow-tie or penne pasta and using sharp cheddar cheese instead of the romano. It makes for a waaaaay more cheesy pasta, that many kids mistake as mac ‘n cheese. Maybe they realize it isn’t mac n cheese once they start eating, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from getting seconds! I served this up for kiddos in a few parties and play dates, and they LOVED it. This pasta dish is a win-win. 

Preparation

For this dish, the squash simply needs to be peeled then chopped into cubes. Using a regular potato peeler works great for peeling the hard skin. Cut off the bottom, and cut off the top so that the squash can stand on a flat bottom. Slice the squash in half and proceed to chop into 1 inch cubes. You will need to scoop out the small ball of seeds in the rounded portion of the squash. Expert tip: rinse and roast the seeds to enjoy later as a snack!

The rest is incredibly easy; chop the shallots and garlic roughly. Everything will be pureed so you truly don’t need to aim for perfection here.

I boil the pasta while I chop the vegetables. While the pasta drains, I sauté the shallots, squash, and garlic. Before you know it, you are ready to blend this sauce smooth and toss the pasta in! Enjoy, or as we say in Egypt, in the Arabic language: Bil Hana wil Shifaa (With happiness and health). Go on, enjoy that orange squash and delve into this delicious, hearty, creamy pasta dish, (mostly) guilt free!

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

This pasta is a hearty, creamy, cheesy, flavorful bowl of autumn comfort! Flavored with shallots, garlic, pecornio romano, and thyme, the creamy and sweet butternut squash is pureed with a dash of cream into a rich velvety sauce for your next pasta dish.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6

Equipment

• cast iron pot recommended

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb pasta of choice, fettuccine or pappardelle recommended
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh butternut squash small size, about 1.5 cups chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil or safflower oil
• 1 c vegetable broth
• 1 c heavy cream omit this for a vegan sauce, increase broth to desired consistency
• 1 tsp salt add more to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1-2 tbsp fresh thyme Reserve more to garnish
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 c pecorino romano cheese, shredded Use 1 c yellow sharp cheddar for an extra cheesy treat!

Instructions

 

• Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta according to instructions for "al dente" pasta.
• While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables. Cut off the bottom and top of the squash, and then peel the entire thing with a vegetable peeler. Slice it down the center, scoop out the seeds from the rounded section, and save to roast them later. Dice the squash into 1 inch cubes.
  
• As soon as the pasta cooks, drain it and return it to the pot or a large bowl and toss with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. This is done to prevent the hot pasta from sticking and clumping together.
• Over medium-high heat, saute the shallots and garlic in 2 tbsp of oil in a large cast iron pot, or a large heavy bottom pot that heats evenly and sears well. As soon as they soften, add the butternut squash and sear it until golden.
  
• Add the broth, reduce heat to medium-low and allow the squash to simmer until softened. This takes about 5 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream, thyme, remaining salt, and balsamic vinegar, stir well, and then blend the sauce smooth with an immersion blender until no chunks remain.
  
• Stir in the pasta, followed by the cheese. Toss well until all the cheese has melted and serve to enjoy immediately.
  

Notes

1. If you want to make to make this ahead of serving, leave the last step of tossing in the pasta and cheese until just before serving. The pasta sauce can be reheated in the pot if it cools.
2. Add more broth and 1/4 c of cream to thin the sauce out if necessary.
3. For variation and color, toss in diced red bell pepper and sautéed mushrooms.

Keyword pasta, squash, vegetarian

These muffins are perfection when it comes to banana bread! Wonderfully moist and delicious, with ooey-gooey chocolate and dates throughout, this is a most delicious comfort treat for the cold season! The cinnamon and spice paired with the sweetness of dates and bananas is a sultry combination that will warm you all up! My favorite part is the bittersweet chocolate in these little cakes; they balance the sweet dates and cinnamon spice with a satisfying dose of dark chocolate. These cinnamon spice banana date muffins will be a hit with everyone you share these with!

I also serve this as a coffee cake with a walnut streusel on top (if my nut-allergy husband isn’t around). Simply pour the batter into a 9 inch round pan, with the nut streusel on the bottom. This recipe is sweetened with plenty of bananas, dates, and a small amount of cane sugar that won’t make you feel guilty, but enough to make these an indulgent treat. You can easily swap out the sugar for your preferred sweetener and throw in some rolled oats and ground flax seed in place of 1/2 a cup of the flour quantity to make this a scrumptious and nutritious breakfast muffin for your children (who am I kidding- for the adults too)!

This version of banana bread is a bit lighter and more nutrient dense than your average banana bread recipes. I have completely omitted butter and added coconut oil instead to keep these muffins supremely moist with a hint of coconut. I also cut the sugar in half and added gooey sweet dates instead. You may have read in my other posts about the plentiful health benefits of dates. They are a low glycemic sweetener and energizer, with a bounty of nutrients and minerals our bodies need. 

Then, I add CHUNKS of bittersweet chocolate. Who doesn’t love chocolate? Here is my secret: use a high-quality bittersweet chocolate bar, and chop it. The irregular chunks of chocolate ooze throughout each cake for gooey and rich deliciousness. I love using HU chocolate gems for a richer, sugar and dairy free option to chocolate. 

Finally, and most importantly, I infuse some warmth and spice with my stash of high quality spices: a couple of heaping spoons of cinnamon, a pinch of himalayan pink salt, and a dash of ground cloves and cardamom. The sweet and spicey aroma is incredible and is the perfect flavor for this comfort treat. 

I bake these in a muffin pan to make 12 jumbo bakery-style muffins, or I bake 6 muffins and pour the other half of the batter into a 9 inch round pan with a walnut streusel on the bottom. Simply toss chopped walnuts with a tablespoon of coconut oil and a spoon of cinnamon and sugar; spread along the bottom of the pan. The more cinnamon-sugar coated nuts, the merrier. The walnuts pair perfectly with this cake and dresses it up just enough to serve to guests. Just be sure to bake this on the top rack so that the bottom of the cake doesn’t brown too much, since you will end up flipping it to serve. 

This recipe is very easy. You don’t even need a mixer. Mash up ripe bananas with the coconut oil. I like to soak my pitted dates in hot water to get them really juicy and gooey. I then mash the plump dates with the bananas. Add the sugar, eggs, spices, and mix-ins (chopped chocolate and  dates). Add the flour last and only fold gently until incorporated. Over-mixing makes the cake tough and rubbery, so be frugal with the stirring. Bake for about 30 minutes, and enjoy!

Do it right, and enjoy these sweet gooey muffins or a slice of cake with a cup of tea. <3

Cinnamon Spice Banana Date Muffins

Noha

These muffins are perfection when it comes to banana bread! Wonderfully moist and delicious, with ooey-gooey chocolate and dates throughout, this is our go-to comfort treat for rainy days! The cinnamon and spice paired with the sweetness of dates and bananas make for the perfect combination.

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American, Middle Eastern

Servings 18 muffins

Ingredients

  

• 6 ripe bananas or 4 bananas and 1 ripe avocado
• 2/3 c coconut oil
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 c Medjool dates pitted and diced
• 1 c chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp himalayan pink salt
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 c flour
• 1/2 c OPTIONAL: chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (F) because you will be done mixing in no time.
• Soak the dates in hot water so that they become plump and soft for about 5 minutes. Drain the water from the dates.
• Smash the peeled bananas, soaked dates, and coconut oil together.
• Mix in the sugar and spices.
• Add the eggs with the vanilla. Whip it in.
• Stir chocolate into the batter, along with nuts if using .
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt,
• Add in the flour mixture last. Fold in gently until incorporated, being careful not to over-mix. Over mixing makes for rubbery muffins!
• Scoop the batter into a muffin pan or into two 9 inch round pans. If you want to dress up the round cake, prepare a walnut mixture on the bottom of the pan by mixing chopped nuts with coconut oil, cinnamon, and sugar. Pour the batter on top and bake on the top rack of your oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes, depending on your oven.
• TIP: If you want muffins to rise with big fluffy domes, allow the muffins to rest in the pan, on the counter for about 20 minutes. Start the oven at 400 degrees (f) for the first 8 minutes, then turn down to 350 (F). Bake for 18-22 minutes total, depending on your oven. Check them at 18 minutes. If they look set, then prick with a toothpick. The stick should come out clean, aside from the gooey dates and chocolate.
• Once removed, allow to cool for 5 minute, and then remove from the pan and set on a towel so that the bottoms don't get soggy. ENJOY!

Notes

Nutritious mom hack: Measure out 1/2 cup of rolled oats and 1/4 cup of ground flax seed and use this in the recipe by cutting out 1/2 a cup of flour. Completely omit the sugar if you want, or use honey in its place. That is a total of:

2 1/2 c of flour

1/2 cup of rolled oats

1/4 c of flax

1/2 c honey

for an extra healthy breakfast treat or snack!

Keyword banana bread, breakfast, muffins

If your family loves to go berry picking like mine does, you are likely going to end up with baskets full of of luscious red strawberries, raspberries, or juicy blueberries. This recipe for strawberry preserves will work for any type of berry. It is easy, can be made with basic pantry items, it is much lower in sugar than store-bought brands, and this small batch recipe is so flavorful and naturally sweet! I make this recipe with floral accents using dried rose petals and lavender extract. The floral accents are completely optional, but we love the delicate fragrant hint with the strawberries. For this recipe, you don’t need pectin or any special tools. You need a good pot, a lemon, only half a cup of sugar, and a very attentive eye!

I love all things summer, and one of my favorite things is strawberry picking! They are so much juicier, redder, and sweeter than anything you can get in store. The best perk, is that the strawberries last for over a week without any molding. I bet your grocery store berries can’t do that. As I always say, eat local, buy local whenever you can!

Ingredients

Fresh berries are best!

After picking your berries, keep them refrigerated. Do not wash them until you will use them. I soak them in water and some apple cider vinegar to disinfect, lift them out of the water to leave the dirt behind, and then lay them out on a towel. I use 2 pounds of fresh strawberries for this recipe, which is roughly 4 cups of quartered berries. My basket of berries from the farm has about 4-5 pounds of strawberries so you have plenty if you also went picking! I put the kids to work hulling the stem and leaves with a little metal teaspoon. The small round shape is perfect for scooping out the hull!

Floral infusions

I use dried rose petals and buds in a tea filter. I find these have a much more fragrant and delicate rose essence than using rose water. It also allows me to control the amount of liquid added to the recipe. I pour 1/4 c water over the tea filter to help draw out the rose essence, and this liquid all evaporates as the preserves reduce over the heat. I use lavender extract or grind my lavender tea and sprinkle this into the tea filter as well.

Lemon juice and sugar

Many recipes call for 1-3 cups of sugar for 2 pounds of berries. I only use 1/2 a cup. Sugar is important as it preserves the fruit and draws out the juices. Towards the end of my reduction, I taste the preserves and add 2-3 tablespoons of honey as needed.

The lemon juice is essential as it allows the pectin in the fruit to become thick and gel like. I do not add in any additional pectin powder because you do not need it for this recipe!

If you happen to have pure salep powder which is the ground powder from the tubers of the orchid flower, you can sprinkle in half of a teaspoon to help thicken the jam, and a bonus is more floral infusion into the flavor! Salep powder is hard to come by, as I get mine from Turkey or Egypt, but it really is a lovely addition if you have it!

While you do not need any special thermometer or tools for this recipe, you will need a very attentive eye. If you do not constantly stir the pot, or if you let it boil over, the preserves will burn and the berries will turn to char. I continuously stirred my small batch pot for 45 minutes or so, while I was preparing something else in the kitchen. So plan to make this while you will be hanging out in the kitchen so that you can keep a close eye on it.

Storing the Preserves

I used 3 jars that I saved to reuse. I simply rinsed the jars with boiling water, and boiled the lids to sterilize. I did not officially can the jars with a seal, as I know we will go through this in about a month. If you wish to properly preserve the jam in jars, you will need sterilized jars and lids to seal them. This is a surprisingly easy method which you can watch on YouTube here. I love these jars. These preserves sealed in jar would make for a perfect gift for friends and family! This recipe will yield 3-4 jars of jam.

Strawberry Preserves

Noha

This delicious, floral small-batch strawberry preserve recipe is so easy and delicious, and uses pantry basics to create a beautiful, juicy, sweet jam perfect for bread, biscuits, pancakes, and more!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish

Servings 3 10 0z jars

Ingredients

  

• 2 lb strawberries, hulled and quartered
• juice of half a lemon 1/4 c
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1/4 c rose petals (optional)
• 1/4 c water
• 2-3 tbsp honey (optional)

Instructions

 

• Combine the strawberries and sugar in a large, heavy bottom pot, with enough room for liquid and foam to bubble up (see video).
• Place the rosebuds in a tea filter, make an open pit in the pot in the midst of the berries, and set the filter in the pot, in the middle of the strawberries.
• Pour the water directly over the tea filter. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• After about 10 minutes, the pot will begin to boil with a lot of foam and liquid coming up. Continuously stir with a silicone spoon. Set the spoon on top of the pot so that it does not spill over. Do not leave the pot unattended at any time because the preserves will easily burn.
• Once the foam has settled a bit, reduce the heat to low, add the lemon juice and continue to stir. Allow the pot to simmer while stirring every so often. The berries will break down and the liquid will evaporate eventually, leaving a thick jam behind. Every 10 minutes, check the pot and stir so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
• Once the jam looks thickened, taste it. If you prefer it sweeter, you may add 2-4 tablespoons of honey according to your preference. Stir well and simmer for 3 more minutes.
• Remove from heat. Scoop the jam into jam jars and allow them to come to room temperature before enjoying or refrigerating.

Keyword berry, jam, preserves, strawberry