Food Friday: Harvest Grains & Garden Goodness

In case you've been wondering, my garden is still going strong. See?

I have more cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini than I know what to do with, but somehow we're still consuming it all. I guess that's a good thing... better than overconsuming other things (like ice cream).

These are the first Bush Delicata squash that I harvested:


Never heard of it? I hadn't either, actually, but it's also known as "Sweet Potato Squash". A friendly neighbor gave me the start when I first started my garden. The flavor is sort of a cross between a sweet potato and and acorn squash, with a slightly milder flavor. Really good. When I eat squash (acorn, usually), I generally just slice it down the middle, roast the halves upside down in the oven, and eat it right out of it's own skin. But, I kind of wanted to try this in another way, and had just found something great at Trader Joe's with which I wanted to experiment. So, I peeled, seeded, and diced the squash, coated it with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasted it in a covered baking dish at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes (until easily pierced with a fork, but NOT MUSHY).


By the way, this is a great side dish on its own if you ever need a different veggie on your plate.

Anyway, the cool new thing from Trader Joe's is called "Harvest Grain Blend" which is basically a mixture of Israeli couscous, orzo, red quinoa, and baby garbanzo beans. It caught my eye when walking through the store because of the beautiful colors in the bag, and I just had to try it. (You know I'm always trying to find new grains to eat.) I think you can just cook it up on its own to have as a side, but I wanted to incorporate some of my garden veggies so I made sort of a casserole instead. Don't worry if you don't have a TJ's near you. I'm going to do my best to guesstimate all the ingredients and ratios so you can make it yourself. Aren't I the best?


Harvest Grains & Garden Goodness
1/2 cup Israeli couscous
1/4 cup red quinoa
1/4 cup dried baby garbanzo beans, halved (so they cook faster)
1/4 cup orzo (multi-colored if you can find it, but that's just for the sake of presentation)
2 cups broth of your choice
1 Bush Delicata squash, or other squash of your choice
1 cup fresh green beans, cut
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
salt
pepper

1. Peel, seed, and cube the squash into an oven-safe baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss to coat, cover, and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Don't let it get mushy.
2. While squash is roasting, slice your green beans into 3 inch pieces. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and 1 clove garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Saute green beans until tender.
3. While your green beans are cooking, put butter and 2 cloves garlic in a medium saucepan with dried grains. Toast over low-medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add broth, salt, and pepper to taste; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed and grains are tender (about 10 minutes). Note: the garbanzo beans will still be firm - that's normal. All other grains should be soft.
4. When everything is done, stir the veggies into the cooked grains, and return to low heat until warmed through (if everything's not still hot from cooking). Top with fresh tomatoes, and serve.