Tag: squash

Slow Cooker Sunday – Butternut Squash Soup with Dairylea

Here is my offering for Slow Cooker Sunday this week, a place for us to share our recipes (Linky below) and to get some inspiration.

It may seem rather odd but when it’s hot out, like it was last week, I like to have soup.  I originally set out to make a Summer Squash soup but when I went to Morrison’s all I could find was butternut squash.  So, I had to adapt the original recipe a bit and Anglicise it as well.

I also opted to use Dairylea instead of our normal cream cheese as it’s now made with all natural ingredients (Milk, cheese, butter and lemon).  I love being able to read all the ingredients on the side of a package.

This was incredibly easy to make and had a lovely creamy texture.

Serves 6

Cooking time 6-8 hours

Cooking Temp Low

Ingredients

  • 2 TBSP of butter or margarine
  • 1 Medium onion chopped
  • 500g of butter nut squash peeled and cubed
  • 500 ml of chicken stock
  • ½ TSP of Oregano as I didn’t have Marjoram
  • Black Pepper to taste
  • 1/8 tsp of Cayenne Pepper
  • 120g of Dairylea Cheese Spread

Method:

  1. Melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until soft.
  2. Put the onion and rest of the ingredients, except the cream cheese into the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  3. Check to see that the butternut squash is tender and then use a hand blender to puree till smooth.  (You could use a food processor but you’d need to do it in batches.)  Add the Dairlea and cook for another 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with some nice crusty bread.

Disclosure:  We recently attended an event for Dairylea and the Cheese Spread was complimentary.



Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, Sage and Parmesan Gnocchi

I’m personally a huge fan of Gnocchi but my husband isn’t as convinced.  However, we both really liked this meal and it’s extremely easy to make.  The original recipe is by Sara Lewis but I’ve tweaked it to get the WW point values down a bit.  I probably could have reduced it even further by using low cal spray instead of olive oil and butter.

Serves 4

Cooking Temp: Low

Cooking Time: 6 hours

WW Pro Plus Points:  11

 

Ingredients

  • 1 TBSP oil
  • 25 g of butter
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp of lazy garlic
  • 2 TBSP of plain flour
  • 150 ml of dry white wine
  • 300 ml of vegetable stock
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 tsp of dry sage
  • 340g of Butternut Squash
  • 500g of Gnocchi
  • 125 Elmelea Single Light Alternate to Cream
  • 20 g grated Parmigiano Cheese

Method

  1. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan.  Sauté the onions for 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  2. Add the flour, mix for about a minute.
  3. Gradually add the wine and stock, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil and add the sage.
  4. Place the butternut squash in the slow cooker and cover with sauce.  Cook on low for 6 hours.
  5. Cook the Gnocchi according the instructions on the back.
  6. Add the cream to the slow cooker and then mix in the gnocchi.
  7. Serve with garlic bread and/or some greens.

 

 

 

 

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Coconut Curry (Slow Cooker)

I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for ages.  I made this curry for my Book Club a few weeks ago, along with my Lamb Curry.  It’s dead easy to make and absolutely delicious.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic crushed
  • 1 tbsp of minced ginger (I use lazy ginger in a jar)
  • 3 tbsp of Patak’s Mild Curry Paste
  • 350g Butternut squash, bitesize pieces (you can buy it ready peeled if you want to keep your limbs!)
  • 4 medium sized potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 400g tin of chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 400 ml of coconut milk (you can use light if you want, I didn’t)
  • 250 ml of vegetable stock
  • 60 ml of smooth peanut butter (it gives it a creamy texture)
  • 2 large handfuls of spinach
  • 250ml of frozen peas

Directions

  1. Preheat the slow cooker (low)
  2. Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger till the onions are soft (about 5 min).  Then add the curry paste, mix well, and cook for about a minute.
  3. Put the squash, potatoes and chickpeas in the slow cooker.  Top with the onion mixture.
  4. Pour in the coconut milk, stock and peanut butter.  Mix well.
  5. Cook covered for at least 4 hours until the butternut squash is cooked. (I did closer to 5-6 hrs)
  6. 30 minutes before you are ready to serve mix in the spinach and peas.  I served with Naans, Sag Paneer and Basmati rice.

For more recipe ideas, cooking tips and ideas check out Patak’s Curry Club

Thanks to Patak’s for sending me a lovely selection of their products!  I can’t wait to try them all.