My family woke up before 6am yesterday and with all that extra time, I decided to make us a fancyish breakfast. One look outside told me it was cold and dreary, so instead of my usual green juice, I rummaged around the kitchen looking for something warm and cozy to make. That’s when I remembered I had picked up an adorable honeynut squash at the Union Square Farmers Market earlier this week. Years ago, I remember seeing a few people on Instagram make oatmeal with butternut squash, and since honeynut squash is basically it’s little sister, I decided to try it out myself.
I didn’t know this until I looked it up just now, but honeynut squash was only created sometime in the last decade and we have Chef Dan Barber and plant breeder Michael Mazourek to thank for it. Apparently, Dan Barber challenged Michael Mazourek to experiment with a butternut squash to get it to taste better and years later after a lot of experimentation, the honeynut squash was born. Bon Appétit has the full details on the fascinating story, in case you’d like to read more about it.
I didn’t know the full story yesterday however, all I knew was that I wanted to mix up my normal routine in favor of something unique, yet warm and cozy. As I usually do when cooking, I mostly improvised when making this, but the recipe below is a fairly good idea of the process and measurements I used. Feel free to adjust the measurements per your taste.
Ingredients for the squash
- 1 small honeynut or butternut squash (sweet potatoes would also be delicious here)
- 1 tbsp organic olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Ingredients for the oatmeal
- 1 cup oatmeal of your choosing (This is the one I use)
- 1 tbsp of tahini
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Sprinkle of flaky sea salt
- Sprinkle of hemp seeds
Instructions
Roast the squash
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
Slice the small squash in half, lengthwise. Feel free to leave the seeds in and scoop them out after roasting. It’s much easier to do once it’s soft. Drizzle with organic olive oil and a little more than a teaspoon of kosher salt. Rub the squash on both sides to make sure it is fully coated. Roast cut side up for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges start to brown and caramelize. You’ll know it’s done roasting when you can easily pierce it with a fork. Once it’s done and cooled a bit, mash it with a fork so it’s all soft together but still has a few chunks.
Prepare your oatmeal
My favorite oatmeal to buy is Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Organic Rolled Oats with Ancient Grains & Seeds. I like it because it’s packed with good-for-you ingredients like amaranth and quinoa flakes, black chia seeds and brown flax meal, and it has no added sugar or questionable ingredients. I also really love that once your water is boiling, it only takes a minute to make.
Depending on what kind of oatmeal you use, prepare it according to the package. While it’s cooking, stir in a tablespoon of tahini and a tablespoon of maple syrup. Mixing it in while it cooks on the heat is a great way for all of the flavors to blend in together.
Assemble your bowl
Once the oatmeal is cooked and the squash is roasted, it’s time to assemble your bowl! Add the oatmeal to your favorite bowl and top with the roasted squash. Feel free to jazz it up a bit more with extra maple syrup, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and hemp seeds. Enjoy it while it’s nice and hot!
A note on the flavor
If you’re looking for a more savory kind of oatmeal, this is the recipe for you. Although the maple syrup and the squash are sweet, adding in the tahini and salt gives it a smoky and savory taste. You can adjust the sweetness by adding in more syrup, or honey if you’d like, but I thought having a savory option would be a fun change.
✌️😎