Roasted Butternut Squash with Ground Sirloin is a dish that’s comforting, healthy
I hope everyone is settling in. While these times are uncertain, unnerving and strange, I’m hopeful that through food we can all find a bit of comfort and nourishment.
I don’t mean eating a pan of brownies solo, although I wouldn’t judge you if you did. We all need to be eating regularly to help keep our blood sugar stable and keep us as sane as possible right about now.
It’s interesting that flour is one of the hard-to-find items at the grocery stores. I hear ground beef is, also.
On Saturday morning first thing, I loaded up and went to Trader Joe’s. I was grateful that the shelves were fully stocked and only about a dozen people were in the store and it felt quite calm. I shopped for several families – some just needing a thing or two — but keeping it all straight was a bit of a balancing act.
Then it was on to deliveries, which was the most fun part. I enjoyed talking, even from a distance, and dropping sustenance to family and friends. It was a bit surreal, but then again most things seem that way right now.
There’s no boredom happening at our home. There are always meals to prep, cook and clean up, laundry to be done, cleaning to be done, reading and writing to be enjoyed. We’ve been doing our best to keep a “normal” schedule, which helps quite a bit in feeling semi-normal.
For a while now, I’ve followed Teri Turner of “No Crumbs Left” on Instagram: @nocrumbsleft. Her no-nonsense, not fluffy, down-to-Earth personality offers such a refreshing realness to her cooking and food blogging. She’s refreshing in her demeanor because she’s relatable, and her food looks so good. Her focus is Whole30 approved meals, and her cookbook, “No Crumbs Left: Whole30 Endorsed, Recipes for Everyday Food Made Marvelous.” is one worth checking out.
This week’s recipe, Roasted Butternut Squash with Ground Sirloin, has been on my radar for a while, and I finally made it. It’s a simple, delicious balance of sweet squash with a savory ground beef/mushroom/onion/spinach topping, and it was irresistible. My husband kept eating more of the “filling” but there’s still enough for a couple of lunches.
During these “stuck at home” times, I encourage you to double recipes, skip a day of it and eat leftovers in a couple days. Eating the same thing each night gets boring fast, but we all need efficiencies right now.
Never did I envision being a “bring me the groceries” type of person. Chatting with the checkers is delightful, and sometimes the grocery outing itself is what I enjoy. All that being said, I placed my first order via Instacart for Costco last night. They charge $8.99 for delivery, not all the items are available and the prices are a bit higher, but this is just for now. That same service delivers from several other grocers, too, in case you’re interested. Several friends have had good experience with Click List from Dillon’s, too.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Ground Sirloin
2 butternut squash (with long necks) cut into 1-inch thick rounds, neck only
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 ½ - 3 cups sliced brown mushrooms
1 ½ pounds ground sirloin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 generous handfuls spinach, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut the butternut squash into 1-inch thick rounds.
Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a large sheet pan, lined with parchment paper.
Cook until soft but not mushy, about 55 minutes, flipping halfway through. While squash is cooking, make the filling.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 20 more seconds, stirring.
Add the mushrooms and cook, covered for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook for 3 more minutes.
Add the ground sirloin and cook over high heat, about 6 minutes (or until meat is no longer pink). Breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon.
Add the salt, pepper and cayenne. Then add the spinach and cook for about 2 minutes.
Remove the squash from the oven and place on plates. Top with meat mixture and serve.
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