This sweet plant-based butternut squash spread with apple slices from the Jewish Food Hero Kitchen is lovely on challah. It is also delicious served alongside fresh apple slices or raw vegetables sliced into crunchy strips. The spread is just sweet enough from the natural sugars in the butternut squash and apples.
Traditional Squash Spread Recipes
Squash comes in endless varieties and is a key ingredient in many plant-based kitchens. A cousin of the courgette, it is a juicy and vibrant vegetable. Butternut Squash has a sweet subtle flavour . Butternut squash can used in both sweet and savory applications. Traditional squash spreads, regardless if they are sweet or savory, tend to mask the gentle squash flavor with heavy ingredients like butter, cream, cheese, and oil.
Making Vegetables the Hero of Your Dish
Our sweet plant-based butternut squash spread with apple slices is oil-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free. We’re letting the delicate squash shine without using any additional sugars or unhealthy fats like butter, oil, or cream. Once you start incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your diet, your tastebuds will learn to appreciate the natural flavors in the produce and you won’t even miss all the unhealthy dairy, sugar, and oils. Read this article for more tips on incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
About this Healthier Sweet Squash Spread Recipe
This sweet plant-based butternut squash spread with apple slices is hearty, flavorful and just sweet enough. The sweet squash spread is perfectly spiced with cinnamon and cumin. The fresh lemon juice offers some relief and a bright tang to the spread.
Serve it with bread or crackers. You can also serve it with any fresh fruits you like or already have on hand – cut-up pears, bananas, peaches, or plums will all work. You can also try carrots or sweet bell peppers if your squash is not particularly sweet and the spread turns out neutral.
This sweet plant-based butternut squash spread with apple slices will last for a week in your fridge and can work as a quick snack for adults and kids alike.
About the Ingredients in this Healthier Sweet Squash and Apple Spread
Butternut squash: Squash is a robust and versatile vegetable. Its tough exterior means it keeps well for several months. In terms of nutritional profile, squash contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. It is a great source of potassium, vitamin A, and fiber, which promotes good digestive health, healthy hair and skin, as well as help lower your blood pressure. Try out this Mushroom and Walnut Gardener’s Pie for a main dish with a squash topping.
Apples: While an apple a day might not be quite enough to keep the doctor away, apples are a true nutritional powerhouse, offering ample amounts of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The flavonoids and phytates found in apples can lower your risk from cancer and heart disease. I love Healthy Apple and Honey Granola (oil free) for breakfast.
Lemon juice: Lemon juice is high in Vitamin C and offers a bright and refreshing taste to salads, dips, mains, and even desserts. Don’t waste your precious kitchen time trying to squeeze a tough lemon with your hands; instead, get this lemon squeezer that will ensure you get every last bit of lemon juice.
Sweet Squash Spread Tips
- Make it party-appropriate: serve the dip as an appetizer on your dinner party alongside some crackers, crudites, or breadsticks
- Turn it into a healthy chocolate spread: add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder and maple syrup to the dip and spread it on bread or pancakes
- Serve with oatmeal: top your morning oats or porridge with a dollop of this sweet squash spread to boost the flavor
Other recipes that you might enjoy:
Twice Baked Sweet Potato Tzimmes
Vegan Potato and Spinach Patties
If you like this recipe, you’ll love the
Jewish Food Hero Cookbook: 50 Simple Plant-Based Recipes for Your Holiday Meals
Feeding Women of the Bible, Feeding Ourselves
Sweet Squash Spread With Apple Slices – Jewish Food Hero Kitchen
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Sweet Squash Spread With Apple Slices
Description
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 small Gala or McIntosh apples, peeled and chunked
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
3 medium apples, sliced, to serve with the spread
Instructions
In a large saucepan, add the prepared squash and apples, and cover with water to 1 inch above the ingredients. Boil until the ingredients are very soft, around 20 minutes. Drain through a colander and reserve the cooking liquid.
Mash the cooked squash and apple together with a strong fork or potato masher. Add the lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add some of the reserved liquid to loosen the dip, if needed.
Separate the squash spread between two bowls and garnish with chopped green onion and cilantro.
Serve with sliced apples or challah slices, if using, on the side.
Notes
Optional: Challah bread, sliced, to serve with the spread
Garnish: Chopped green onion and cilantro
Tools
Large saucepan
Large bowl
Colander
Potato masher (or strong fork)
2 medium serving bowls
Small serving plate
Medium serving plate
