Otherwise, here’s how I dressed it:

• Combined olive oil, basil herb, and red pepper flakes
• Shook it up and poured it over the top
• Added salt and pepper to taste.

Then I placed it in the oven and baked at 275 for 10 to 15 minutes. (I peeked somewhere along that time frame to see how it was coming along.) Then, I checked it with a fork to see that it was mostly done (not raw looking but not too dark in color) and put it on broil for a few more minutes. The cooking time will vary based on the size of the piece of fish you have.

It turns out savory but with a bit of a kick.

I served it with a mixed green salad finished with artichokes hearts and green and black olives, and actually even topped it with the same dressing I used for the fish–with a little lemon added–since I didn’t have time to make another. Plus, the quick veggie soup I made last night while responding to emails made another delicious side dish.

I love winter squash. But it’s a pain to slice open. Then there’s the terrifying image of the knife slipping against the tough exterior and into the flesh of my hand. In fact, some of my clients have told me how much they enjoy this food, but simply can’t bring themselves to make it for fear of halving a finger.

Kitchen Solution #1: Pre-baking

Preheat oven to 375. Throw whole squash in a pan with a couple millimeters of water for 15 minutes, then remove and let stand until cool enough to handle. By now the outer wall has softened, and a knife can more easily slip through it. Divide the squash in half, place face down on the pan, and continue cooking. Prebaking works especially well because there’s nothing else you’d do with completely hard uncooked squash, instead. You wouldn’t throw the giant thing in a steamer. You wouldn’t try to stir fry it. (You might use it as a Halloween decoration or play catch with it in the yard, but then you wouldn’t be seeking to cut it open first.) So if you’re planning on eating it, you’d probably start by baking it, so this is just entering it into the process sooner rather than later, and sparing your fingers along the way.

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Makes 2-6 servings

1 medium red cabbage, shredded or finely chopped

1 small bulb fennel, finely sliced

½ cup pumpkin seeds

2 T. olive oil

½ t. Cajun spice*

Chop cabbage and fennel into shreds. Heat oil over medium-high heat, add pumpkin seeds and Cajun spice, then stir while letting them season for a few minutes. Then add the vegetables and saute until slightly tender. Remove from heat and serve. For more kick, increase amount of Cajun spice or add an extra pinch of cayenne.

*Note: buy this mix only in the bulk section of a natural foods store, as many of the pre-made Cajun spice blends use wheat gluten as a binding agent. Also, blackening seasonings often create more smoke, so make sure the cooking area is well-ventilated before you begin.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 pound winter squash (kabocha, butternut)

1 ½ cups aduki beans, soaked

3 inches seaweed (like kombu or wakame)

5 cups of water (or vegetable stock)

Sea salt

*Grated ginger, optional

Directions: Peel and cube squash into 2 inch squares (can leave skins on if edible)

Place washed beans and seaweed into a pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and add squash cubes. Cover and simmer for 30 more minutes. Uncover, add sea salt, and stir until water evaporates.

Notes: Try with roots like carrot, parsnip, and turnip. These roots don’t need more than 20 minutes to cook with beans.

Requiring few ingredients and utensils, and virtually zero cooking skill, you can have a hot and hearty dish in less than hour flat.

Root vegetables, grown deep in the ground and available during cold winter months, connect us to our immediate environment and help keep our immune systems strong. Energetically, they have a “grounding” or downward-descending activity, which deeply nourishes the body and encourages digestive and reproductive health.

You will need:

–An assortment of vegetables—I particularly like Jerusalem artichokes, Brussels sprouts, turnips, beets, and rutabaga. Carrots, onions and potatoes are also popular picks.

–Sea salt and any seasonings you like. Sage, parsley, cumin, turmeric and hot curry make delicious roasted vegetables.

–Glass baking pan

–Wooden spoon

Super easy instructions:

1)      Preheat oven to 400 degrees on bake (or roast) setting.

2)      Wash and destem an assortment of vegetables—I particularly like Jerusalem artichokes, Brussels sprouts, turnips, beets, and rutabaga. Carrots, onions and potatoes are also popular picks.

3)      Place in glass baking pan with a generous amount of high heat tolerant cooking oil (such as coconut or palm butter).

4)      Add a bit of salt and keep it simple, or season and spice to your heart’s desire. Sage, parsley, cumin, turmeric, curry make delicious roasted vegetables.

5)      Place in oven for 10 or so minutes, then give the vegetables a rotation with a wooden spoon to coat them evenly with the oils and seasonings.

6)      Return to the oven and let them cook longer. The exact length of time they will need in the oven is determined by which vegetables you’ve used, but generally between 15 and 45 minutes is sufficient.

7)      Remove from heat, let stand to cool, and enjoy!

Cast iron skillets ($6-75, depending on the size)
3-4 sizes, ranging from tiny to jumbo. The very small pans do well at sautéing garlic or dry-toasting spices, the middle ones are good for frying eggs or making individual quantities, the larger ones are great for sautéing greens or making stir-fries, and the enormous ones are for cooking for the whole house or entertaining company. Cast iron pans are relatively inexpensive, and will last forever if you care for them well. They won’t deposit toxic chemicals into your food like most other skillets, and they help preserve the nutrient content in your cooking.

Cast iron pot ($30-75)
Big enough for soups or large quantities of grain

1 very sharp, high quality cutting knife ($40-100)
A chef’s knife will become your best friend in the kitchen—well worth the initial investment. I like a Japanese knife made by Caddie, but have some Bandaids on hand until you become an excellent slicer.

Cutting board ($10-40)
Chances are we have one of these around the kitchen, even if we’re not in the habit of cooking. But is it used strictly for gluten-free foods? If not, invest in another.

Powerful blender ($35-250)
Smoothies are a great, nutritious meal on-the-go, or use this to make bean dips, dressings, etc.

Steamer ($7-110)
From the stainless steel flapped kind with holes that you set in a pot to a multi-tiered professional grade rice and vegetable steamer, this might very well become one of your more indispensable kitchen items

Coffee grinder ($10-25)
Even if you don’t drink coffee, this can be used for the powerful punch of fresh-ground spices or to convert any whole grain into flour—presto.

Vegetable peeler ($4-16)
Because the days of stripping potatoes with a dull hand knife are over. Pay a few dollars more for a good blade and comfortable grip—it’s well worth it!

Can opener ($3-5)
For those times when you can’t wait around for a pot of beans to cook.

Rubber grip for opening tightly sealed jars ($2)
There’s nothing worse than a tweaked wrist and a sealed jar of olives you’re needing to get at.

Measuring cups ($8-15)
Especially helpful for grain cooking proportions, and can double as a ladle. Stainless steel is best.

Tongs ($8-14)
For serving salads, flipping meat, plucking vegetables… Again, I recommend stainless steel.

Wooden spoon ($2-6)
Great for everything but the blender

2 Spatulas ($3-10 ea.)
Both the metal kind with slots and the rubber scraper kind

Unbleached Cheese Cloth ($3)
Great to have around for baking, sprouting, and making nut milk

Large glass baking pan ($12-16)
Pyrex or something similar

Colander ($9-25)
The stainless steel kind which stands on its own is easiest to use

Large mixing bowl ($4-15)
Multipurpose

Quart jars ($1.50 ea. or $10-12 for a case)
Great for storing fresh-cooked soups or sauces, or dried grains and beans, and for making herbal infusions or lemonade.

Optional: pepper grinder ($12-50), mortar and pestle ($15-75), smaller paring knife ($3-25), timer ($8-15), food processor ($50-600), handheld immersion blender ($30-100), fruit and vegetable juicer ($80-350), rice cooker, sushi mat, muffin tin, cookie sheet, additional mixing and prep bowls of various sizes ($3-25 ea), and on and on…