Squash Snack and Nut Butter Spread

It's a rare treat when I actually slow down long enough to get creative with my snacking

Leftover roasted kabocha squash from last night made for a perfect afternoon treat!

Kabocha Squash, Blueberries, and 2 different Nut Butters

Artisana's Cacao Bliss Coconut Butter and Organic Creamy Peanut

 Butter, because life is so much richer when you've got options ;)

I made this visually pretty for all of you, right down to the colorful bird napkin haha

Question: What was the last 

"creative" snack you made for yourself?

Return of The Squash

We're heading into my "Season of Squash Obsession" once again...

Who remembers WAY back to when I made and ate SEVEN 

sweet potatoes in one sitting? I still am amazed by that day!

A couple years ago, all I seemed to post were dinners like this

I was addicted to Squash and Sweet Potatoes, and 

it seems this year is wrapping up to be the same...

Squashy Yam and Potato Roast

Made with a mix of cubed Kabocha Squash, Purple Skinned Sweet
 Potatoes, Yams, and Broccoli with Baby Bok Choy tucked underneath

Now for the seasoning...

My official blend of herbs and spices

Garlic Powder, Italian Spice, Basil, Rosemary, Ground Mustard, 

Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Red Chili Flakes, Rubbed Savory and Sage

Sprinkled on top to taste

Then it's ready for the oven!

Baked @ 380 Fahrenheit for about an hour

Cool for a few minutes, then dig in :)

Question: Are there any foods you tend to gravitate 

towards more in the Autumn & early Winter months?

Squash Boat Egg Float

Awhile ago I coincidently submitted this post in draft form, without words

After I realized my mistake, I removed the post and set it aside to fix later

But later turned into months, until here I am today to fix it

Poached Egg in a Squash Bowl

1/4 large roasted kabocha squash topped with

 cinnamon, 1 large poached egg, salt and pepper

Appetite For Imagination

Do you ever lay out on the grass and look up at the clouds in the sky, pointing 

out different shapes or noticing their resemblance to certain animals or faces? 

Well the same principle applies to when I cook or bake; I 

notice the shapes and familiar forms. To me, this looks like

 Nestle Chocolate Turtles...only with cheese and egg haha

Gluten-free toast topped with red onion, tomato, 

an egg and spinach patty, cheese slice and pepper

I made the Egg & Spinach Patty by adding 1/3 cup egg whites and spinach

to a small saute pan, then adding 1 whole egg in the center. After cooking 

over medium heat, I flipped it to the other side, each for a minute or two

Adding the whole egg last makes sure you have a runny yolk in the center to dig into

Although I LOVE squash and sweet potatoes, I have to admit that I'm already

growing sick of eating large quantities like this, mainly out of old habits

Purple yams, purple sweet potatoes, kabocha

 squash, broccoli, kale, spices and yellow mustard

My appetite and cravings have definitely changed as I much prefer balanced

 meals with plenty of protein. I may have beat my root vegetable addiction!

Question: Do you play with the shape or design of your 

food and imagine it looks like certain creatures or objects?

The Great Sweet Potato and Squash Hunt

When I lived in Victoria B.C., I ate muffins for breakfast religiously. 

Now that I live in Calgary, my cravings have switched from sweet to savory

I also haven't found any bakeries that even come close to the ones like

these back in Victoria, so I have been sticking with eggs and toast for now

1 slice whole grain toast topped with 2 slices of natural 

turkey deli meat slices, 1 poached egg and black pepper

The important runny egg, great for dipping into with pieces of the toast

All of you who have been reading Snacking Squirrel for quite some time 

now know how addicted I was to root vegetables, namely kabocha 

squash, Japanese purple sweet potatoes, and purple-flesh yams

I have searched tirelesly for weeks trying to hunt down these sweet potatoes

 and squash in Calgary but could only find white/yellow skinned and 

fleshed sweet potatoes, among the not-so-exciting acorn and spaghetti squash

But it was during my bus ride out to the Forest Lawn area

 that I noticed a large international grocery store, Hong Kong 

Food Market. I knew this would be my best bet, and alas, I found

 my squash and sweet potatoes! And the prices were dirt cheap!

Cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes and squash with yellow

mustard drizzled over a bed of assorted greens and vegetables

 You can find the recipe here

Questions: Are there any foods that you love 

but cannot find or had to temporarily part from 

until you found them again? Ever craved something

 so bad that you traveled all over the city just to find it?