Spicy Butternut Squash Bowl with Cumin-Lime Crema
This spicy butternut squash bowl is a super satisfying, veggie backed dinner! Brown rice with spicy roasted butternut squash, summer squash and red peppers, avocado, and black beans! Top it off with a tangy cumin-lime crema and crumbled feta!
Recently, the hubs and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. We also recently celebrated the 11 year anniversary of when we started dating.
Since we started dating our senior year of college, both of us have changed quite a bit. For Scott, who grew up in a small-ish Southern town, being married to someone with a completely different upbringing and traveling the world has made him a much more open-minded, curious and compassionate person. Also, he's stopped wearing flannel shirts all the damn time.
Me, I've soaked up some of Scott's DGAF about what other people think attitude, which has allowed me to feel more comfortable with my authentic self, and do scary things that risked public failure (hello starting a business).
As we've changed, our relationship has changed. At first, I used to freak out, like "ARE WE GOING TO BE OKAY??" level freak outs. But now, I'm kinda used to our relationship having it's ups and downs. When things change, it's just a sign that we need to try and reconnect.
Speaking of change, over the past few months, I've noticed my body has changed. I don't weigh myself anymore or spend much time looking in full length mirrors (unless I'm trying to decide which shoes to wear and in that case I spend way too much time looking in mirrors). Clothes are fitting a bit more snug. A couple pairs of jeans don't fit. Basically, I've gone up a size.
I talk a lot about body positivity and self love, but I'm not going to lie and say that I'm totally 100% at peace with how my body has changed. However, I will say with 100% certainty I won't be changing how I take care of my body or feed myself.
Being thin, I know that's a MUCH easier stance for me to take because I don't live with the constant message that my body isn't OK. Instead, I'm told my body is a "goal," a message that's often given as a compliment, but frankly, feels rather objectifying. When the size of your body gets recognized over all of your personal or professional accomplishments or attributes, it’s hard not to soak up the message that it’s the most important thing about you.
So yeah, when you're told your body is your worth, it can be a little scary when it starts to change.
But if there is anything that I've learned from my marriage it's that change, while uncomfortable, is a part of life. And the best way to get past that discomfort is through reconnecting.
So, I've been making a conscious effort to reconnect with my body. During yoga, I pay attention to some of the more uncomfortable physical sensations, like the rolls my stomach makes in certain poses. I've been noticing how my body looks in the mirror, not in a critical way but by being observant. And I’ve continued to listen to what my body asks for and honor those requests. Basically, I'm trying to get comfortable with what feels uncomfortable.
Change is inevitable. When I imagine Scott and I in our seventies and eighties and (hopefully) nineties, we're not the same people and we don't have the same relationship and we sure as heck don't have hot bods! Because seriously, who looked around a nursing home and was like "Dayuum!!" No one. Because as we get older, our body gets further and further from conventional beauty standards, and we can make ourselves miserable fighting it, or start adjusting to it now. I am choosing to do the latter.
Today I'm sharing the dish I made the night Scott and I got engaged - this spicy butternut squash bowl with cumin-lime crema. I changed the recipe around a bit because hello everything I wrote above 👆 Also, the first time I made the dish it wasn't very good. I know, somehow the food obsessed gal managed to get engaged after eating a subpar dinner.
This spicy butternut squash bowl is a fun little veggie bowl, and crazy satisfying too when you’re in the mood for lots of veggies and tons of flavor. The roasted spicy butternut squash is definitely the highlight of the dish, as y’all know I love those sweet and spicy flavor combos. Feel free to play around with different veggie toppings, but this combination of roasted summer squash and peppers with black beans, avocado, and fermented veggies gets a nice mix of flavors, along with a satisfying dose of fat, protein and carbs.
Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did (after making those changes to the recipe!), and that maybe one of you will get engaged to someone awesome after making it! If so, please let me know because there is nothing I would love more than for this to become a lucky dish!
Spicy Butternut Squash Bowl with Cumin-Lime Crema
Serves: about 4
Ingredients:
Squash:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lb cubed and peeled butternut squash
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
Juice of 1/4th a lime
2 teaspoons maple syrup
Roasted vegetables:
2 medium summer squash, chopped into 3/4-inch chunks
1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cumin-Lime Crema:
1/2 cup yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Bowl:
Cooked brown rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Fermented veggies (I used Farmhouse Culture taqueria mix)
Fresh salsa
Toasted pepitas
Goat cheese, crumbled
Cilantro and/or sliced green onions
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add butternut squash and saute five minutes. Add onion, salt and pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, lime juice and maple syrup and cook about 1 minute longer until fragrant.
Meanwhile, toss squash and peppers together with olive oil and spread evenly on a large baking sheet. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast 20-25 minutes until tender and golden.
While vegetables are cooking, whisk together ingredients for cumin-lime crema. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Divide brown rice between bowls. Top with black beans, avocado, fermented vegetables, roasted veggies and butternut squash. Add a scoop of salsa. Sprinkle with pepitas, goat cheese, and herbs.
If you like this spicy butternut squash bowl, you might also like:
Bulgogi Portobello Bowl with Spicy Sriracha Mayo and Roasted Broccoli
Easy Chicken Burrito Bowl
Quinoa Shiitake Bowl with Tempeh
