Butternut squash steaks are brushed with a sweet and bold spice mixture, and are then roasted, seared and topped with yogurt and pistachios for the perfect plant-forward dinner!
1/4cupextra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for pan searing
2tspmonkfruit sugar, stevia or regular granuated sugar
2tsp ground cumin
1tspgarlic powder
1/2tspcoriander
1/2 tspcinnamon
1tsptable salt
1/2tspground turmeric
1largebutternut squash - if you are big eaters, you might want to purchase 2 butternut squash and serve two steaks per plate
1/4cup pistachios, chopped
2tbsp basil, chopped
1/2cupplain greek yogurt with lime juice or lime greek yogurt
2cupscooked couscous or pasta/grain of choice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Mix together the olive oil, sugar or sugar substitute, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, coriander, cinnamon, and ground turmeric. Set aside.
Carefully cut the bulb of the squash off, right at the base of the neck. The neck will give you rectangular-shaped steaks, which is what we want. You also have the option to cut the squash into medallions, which will be circular.
Use a peeler to peel the skin off, and any underlying fibrous threads just below the skin. Typically you want to peel it twice to achieve this.
Carefully cut the neck of the squash in half lengthwise, right down the middle. Then, cut each half in half lengthwise so you are left with four 3/4 inch steaks (see photos in blog post for reference). Place the steaks on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and brush evenly on both sides with the spice mixture.
Roast the steaks until almost tender, 18-20 minutes. Once they are done roasting, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, use tongs to place the squash steaks into the pan. Sear on each side for about 3 minutes until starting to crisp up.
Serve roasted butternut squash steaks over the grain or pasta of choice (I used couscous), and top with yogurt, chopped pistachios, and basil. I recommend squeezing some lime juice into the yogurt, as lime compliments the dish well. Enjoy!
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