Going vegan for Christmas has never been easier! This whole roast butternut is the perfect way to celebrate – complete with stuffing and vegan gravy.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 3 hours

INGREDIENTS
For the whole roast butternut
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup water
½ cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1½ tbsp chopped thyme
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tsp flaxseed
2 tbsp hot water
½ cup dried cranberries
⅓  cup flour
1 large baby marrow, halved lengthways
1 carrot
1 butternut, halved lengthways and seeded
For the vegan gravy
¼ cup vegan margarine
½ onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp flour
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp soy sauce

METHOD
For the whole roast butternut
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Bring the rice, water and stock to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Strain and stir in the chopped herbs.
3. Add some oil to a pan over medium heat. Fry the onion for 5minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the rice and season to taste.
4. Whisk flaxseed and water.
5. Mix together the flaxseed, rice, cranberries and flour, until everything is fully incorporated.
6. Scoop out the flesh from the baby marrow, leaving a 5 mm border. Trim the carrot to fit inside one half of the baby marrow.
7. Scoop enough flesh from one half of the butternut to fit the baby marrow with the carrot inside. Fill the other baby marrow half with the rice stuffing and sandwich on top of the carrot.
8. Scoop enough flesh from the other half of the butternut to fit the remaining rice stuffing.
9. Prick the butternut flesh all over with the fork, and secure the two halves together with kitchen string.
10. Brush with oil, wrap in foil and roast for 1⅛ hours, until tender. Allow to rest inside the foil for 20 minutes before carving.
For the vegan gravy
1. Melt the margarine in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
2. Add the flour and fry, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.Whisk in the stock and soy sauce and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.
3. Strain and season to taste.

Recipe & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

These beetroot folders with tofu will add even more deliciousness to your vegan spread!

The post Whole roast butternut with rice, carrot and baby marrow appeared first on MyKitchen.

Beautiful squashes are coming into season soon and there’s no reason you shouldn’t use the whole veggie. A butternut salad is great for autumn and winter because it can be served slightly warm and still taste super delicious. This salad is easy to make, makes use of rich, comforting ingredients such as pear and blue cheese, and doesn’t waste a scrap of butternut.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 55 mins

INGREDIENTS
1 butternut, chopped, seeds reserved
100 ml olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp capers, chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
100g lettuce
20g wild rocket
2 pears, cored and sliced
80g blue cheese, sliced

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place the butternut on a baking tray, drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil and season. In a separate bowl, toss the seeds with paprika.
3. Bake the butternut for 20 minutes. Then remove from the oven, add the seeds and toss to mix. Return to the oven for another 15–20 minutes, until the butternut is cooked and slightly charred and the seeds are crispy.
4. To make the dressing, mix the remaining oil, capers, mustard and lemon juice.
5. Toss together the lettuce, rocket, pears and dressing.
6. To serve, arrange on a platter and top with warm butternut and seeds, and blue cheese.

The post Roast butternut salad with butternut seed sprinkle appeared first on MyKitchen.

Slices of roasted butternut, perfectly crisped at the edges, served with a Thai dressing and sprinkled with peanuts? This is what veggie dreams are made of.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
1 medium butternut, peeled, halved and seeded
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp butter
200 ml cream
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp chilli flakes
Sliced spring onions, to garnish
Chopped peanuts, to garnish

METHOD|
1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with foil.
2. Slice the butternut halves lengthways into eight wedges. Lay the wedges on the baking tray, drizzle with oil and season. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, until soft and golden. Remove and set aside.
3. In a small pot over medium-high heat, fry the garlic in the butter until fragrant. Add the cream, peanut butter, soy sauce and chilli flakes, and cook for two minutes. Pour the satay sauce into a small serving bowl.
4. Garnish the roast butternut with spring onions and peanuts, and serve with satay sauce.

The post Roast butternut with satay sauce appeared first on MyKitchen.