Tis the season of Squash!

Eat your way into a healthful Plant-Based lifestyle!

It’s the Season of Orange Color-Butternut Squash Burgers

Butternut squash is mildly sweet and creamy, making it a perfect base for adding flavorful warm spices. Chickpeas, Quinoa and Oats give this recipe heartiness and texture along with fiber and protein. Butternut squash is high in antioxidants, which are free radical fighters. These nutrients are fat soluble and so butternut squash should be eaten with a fat source, such as avocado or olive oil. Butternut squash also contains massive amounts of vitamin A, which is linked to a reduction in inflammation and prevention of certain cancers. Orange & yellow veggies such as squash, carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes contain particularly high levels of beta carotene. Orange & yellow veggies such as squash, carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes contain particularly high levels of beta carotene. Diets rich in beta carotene help provide anti-oxidants that our skin cells need to fight the day to day inflammatory breakdown of our skin cells especially during winter.

Ingredients:

· Butternut Squash- About 2 lbs cut into large chunks or halved

· Chickpeas- 1.5 cups cooked or 1-14oz can drained and rinsed

· Quinoa – 1 cup cooked

· Gluten Free dry rolled oats- 1cup

· Flax Meal – 1 tbsp + 3 tbsp water

· Onion -1/2 cup diced

· Garlic – 2-3 cloves minced

· Olive oil – 2 -3 tsp

· Fresh Parsley or Cilantro –1/4th cup chopped

· Ground Cumin- ½ tsp

· Smoked Paprika-1 tsp

· Ground Coriander- ½ tsp

· Cinnamon -1/4th tsp

· Chili powder- ½ to 1/4th tsp

· Salt-1 tsp

· Optional -Your favorite store bought BBQ sauce or chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut squash into ½ inch cubes or big chunks and spread on a sheet pan evenly; drizzle with olive oil. Roast until tender about 25-30 mins. Transfer to a bowl and mash using a fork.

2. Prepare Flax egg- mix flax meal and water and set it on a side for 5 mins till a stringy egg like mixture is formed.

3. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small pan and add onions, cook for 3-4 mins; add minced garlic and cook for a min. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Pulse oats in a food processor to make oat flour. Add chickpeas, spices, salt, fresh herbs, cooled onion-garlic mix to food processor with the oats. Pulse to form a loose mix. Remove in a bowl and mix with the cooled and mashed butternut squash. You can add 2-3 tbsp of BBQ sauce or 1 chipotle chile and adobo sauce if you like spice and smokiness in your burger.

5. Add the flax egg and mix everything together. You may add more spice or salt if desired. Form patties using ½ to 3/4th cup of mixture.

6. Heat olive oil in a pan and sear the patties 2 mins each side or till crispy brown on each side.

7. Enjoy on a bun or as a bowl drizzled with Green Goodness dressing (recipe below), arugula or any greens, pickled jalapenos, onions, tomatoes and any toppings you desire!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag a photo #plantologyfuel on Instagram.

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Creamy Green Goodness Dressing

Ingredients

Cashews-1/2 cup soaked for 2-3 hours or soak in boiling water for about 30 mins, drain and rinse.

Parsley- 1/4th cup chopped

Basil- 1/4th cup leaves

Cilantro- 1/4th cup

Scallion-1

Garlic – 2 cloves

Lime juice -2 tbsp

Jalapeno- 3-4 slices (more if you like it hot)

Olive oil- 1 tbsp

Maple syrup-1 tsp

Salt-1/2 tsp

Instructions: Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend till smooth. Adjust salt and lime juice as needed.

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