Winter Layered Smoky Lentil and Squash Bake | Rebel Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is winter squash good for baking? ›

Sweet and Savory Baked Winter Squash

Sprinkle the cinnamon inside each squash half, then drizzle in the maple syrup, and finally, sprinkle the salt inside. Place the squash halves, cut side up in a baking dish, and bake for 40 mins. at 400 °F until the flesh is soft. Serve right away.

These lentils have been grown in the region for over 2,000 years and it is said that they have gastronomic qualities that come from the terroir (in this case attributed to the area's volcanic soil). They are praised for their unique peppery flavor and the ability to retain their shape after cooking.

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

Most recipes say to either bake or roast butternut squash—but what's the difference? While both cooking methods will turn the tough, raw gourd into a soft, sweet ingredient, roasting butternut squash is the more common process for achieving browned, crispy edges and a creamy interior.

We're all about French lentils, because like the greatest boxers, lawyers, and internet trolls, they're thick-skinned. This means that these speckled, greenish-bluish-greyish orbs, also called green French lentils or lentilles du Puy, retain their shape when cooked and have a pleasant, poppy texture.

Unlike dried beans, lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking. They are a popular vegetarian food, due to their high protein content and are often served in winter soups and casseroles because they are very filling.

Is Soaking Beans Necessary? Don't worry about soaking lentils, split peas, or black-eyed peas (or cowpeas). Lentils and peas are softer than dried beans. They'll cook within 5 to 20 minutes without any soaking time.

Hubbard Squash

Its dry flesh is fine-grained, orange, and sweet, and it's best baked or boiled. The thick skin on a hubbard squash can be extremely hard and difficult to peel; on the plus side, that means it can keep for a very long time (up to eight months), and makes it well suited to stuffing and baking.

Winter squash is also tasty with bacon, sausage, pork, chicken, and mild fish like cod. Because squash is high in fiber, it's more filling than other vegetables—it can be used to bulk up stews, grain- and greens-based salads, quesadillas, pizzas, pastas, casseroles, and gratins.

So, here's the thing: All zucchini are squash, but not all squash are zucchini. Are you even more confused now? The term "squash" refers to a plant species within the gourd family, which is further divided into winter squash and summer squash.

What is the difference between summer squash and winter squash? ›

Summer squash is harvested before fully maturing, (June through August) giving it a soft, edible skin. While tender and delicious, the delicate exterior gives summer squash a much shorter shelf life. Winter squash, on the other hand, is harvested in autumn and has a distinct tough and (usually) inedible rind.