"MEow" wrote ...
I'm currently following a diet in which I make sure to eat regular
meals, which are balance between complex carbs (including fresh
vegetables) and some protein source.....

Now: recently I've managed to get my hands on a butternut squash .....
what sort of protein source would be good to have with butternut squash?


I swear that I had seen a recipe that included seitan and butternut squash.
I googled and came up with a couple of recipes along with a menu item from
a restaurant, as well as a post by MrFalafel in response to your request for
recipes last year. Hopefully those will be helpful.

Seitan Marsala (Blind Faith Cafe - Evanston, Illinois - no recipe just this
menu description)
Tender seitan medallions sauteed with button mushrooms in a marsala wine
sauce. Served with butternut squash, steamed broccoli and Jasmine rice.

Sukiyaki (Sukiyaki)
From About.com

2 tablespoons oil (optional)
1 pound firm tofu, sliced 1/3 inch thick
1/2 pound seitan, sliced as thinly as possible (1/4 inch thick or less)
(optional)
3/4 pound mushrooms, preferably some or all fresh shiitake mushrooms and
enoki or shimeji (oyster mushrooms)
1/2 kabocha or butternut squash, cut into 1/3-inch slices [you could steam
the rest of the squash for a squash pudding]
2 zucchinis, thickly sliced, or 1/2 bunch broccoli, cut into spears
1 pound shirataki noodles (sometimes referred to as konnyaku noodles)
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar, FruitSource, or 3/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup mirin
6 cups roughly cut napa cabbage, mustard greens, or kale
4 bunches green onions, cut into 3-inch lengths
4 cups mung bean sprouts (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (optional)

Heat the oil in a deep, large skillet, and saute the tofu and seitan on both
sides until browned. Push the tofu and seitan over to one side of the pan,
add the mushrooms, and saute for another minute until browned. (These steps
can be omitted if you would like to eliminate the oil. Simply place the tofu
and seitan in the skillet, and follow the rest of the recipe).

Push the mushrooms to another part of the skillet, then add the squash,
zucchini, and shirataki noodles, separately and in neat piles in the
skillet. Combine the soy sauce, sweetener of choice, and mirin, and add to
the skillet. When the contents have come to a boil, turn down the heat to a
gentle simmer. Add the greens, green onions, and bean sprouts, all in
separate piles, and continue simmering for a few minutes until the
vegetables are tender. Add the ginger, cook another moment, then taste. If
the broth is too salty, add some water. (The vegetables themselves will
exude water; thus, the additional water is a matter of taste).

Each diner helps himself to the delectables in the skillet, eating them with
an ample supply of rice. It should be noted that the sodium content is not
as frightfully high as it would seem, since most of the liquid in the pot is
not consumed.

Yield: 6 servings


Layered Seitan Vegetable Dinner

The hearty flavor and texture of seitan makes it a perfect choice for a
winter meal. By layering the vegetables in the pot, they will retain their
shape and individual flavors.


1 large onion, 3/4 inch dice
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin seed
1 dried bay leaf
1 8-oz. pkg. seitan, drained and cut
into 1-inch chunks
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut
into 1-inch chunks
2 ribs of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch
chunks
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
11/2 A cups vegetable stock or water
1 small butternut squash, peeled,
seeded and cut into 3/4 inch
chunks
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 small bunch of kale, chopped
Sea salt to taste

In heavy-bottomed 3-quart stew pot, saute onion in oil until soft, 3 to 4
minutes. Add garlic, herbs and spices and continue to cook for 1-minute
longer, stirring to incorporate the seasonings.

Place seitan on top of onions and season with pepper to taste. Continue to
layer with carrots, celery, potatoes and mushrooms. Do not stir at this
point.

Add stock or water to just cover layer of mushrooms. Simmer, covered, for 15
minutes. Add squash on top of mushrooms, cover and cook for 15 minutes
longer, until squash is just tender. Add lemon juice.

Remove the lid, add kale and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf.
Check seasonings and add salt and additional pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Here are a few of my fav butternut squash recipes [posted by MrFalafel in
response to your request for Butternut Squash Recipes last year - 2003-04-14
00:54:45 PST]

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic Mushrooms

Serves 4
Ingredients (squash)
· 2 butternut squash (about 750g each)
· 2 tbsp olive oil
Ingredients (garlic mushrooms)
· 300g baby button mushrooms
· 2 garlic cloves, crushed
· juice of ½ lemon
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· seasoning

Method
Preheat the oven to 220c/425f/gas 7. Cut each butternut squash in half
lengthways and scoop out and discard the seeds. Score a cress-cross
pattern across the flesh of the squash and place cut -side up, in a
large roasting tin. Drizzle over the olive oil dot with the butter and
season. Cook on the top shelf of the oven for 40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, place the mushrooms in an ovenproof dish with the garlic,
lemon juice, olive oil and plenty of seasoning. Cook on the shelf
below the butternut squash for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Arrange the butternut squash on serving plates and spoon the mushrooms
into the cavity. Serve with the Chestnut and Bay Leaf Gravy, broccoli
and roasted baby potatoes, tossed with rock salt.
------------------------------------------------

Hot Nutty Butternut Squash [nuts are protein]

4 tbsp margarine
1 fresh red serrano pepper, stemmed and minced (or use a red chilli
pepper)
1/2 cup cashews, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 tbsp unrefined sugar
1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

Preheat oven to 400F

Melt the margarine in a small pan over low heat. Add the serrano
pepper and cashews and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and stir
until
melted, then add the sugar. Stir well and remove from the heat.

A butternut squash has a cavity at the blossom end and a long solid
section that extends to the stem. Using a paring knife, make several
1/4-inch
cuts in the flesh extending from the cavity to the stem end. Place the
squash
halves in a baking dish and cover the cut surface with the nut mixture.
Divide the remaining nut mixture between the two cavities. Bake for 60 to 70
minutes, or until fork can be easily inserted through the skin into the
solid section of squash.
---------------

Vietnamese Pumpkin, Aubergine and Cashew Nut Curry
Serves 6
Ingredients
· 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
· ½ tsp salt
· 2 tsp turmeric
· 1 tbsp caster sugar
· 2 stalks lemon grass, outer leaves removed and stalk roughly chopped
· 2 tbsp vegetable oil
· 1 large onion, finely chopped
· 1 tbsp hot curry powder
· 1 star anise
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 330ml bottle of lager or pilsner
· 900ml vegetable stock
· 2 large carrots cut into chunks
· 1kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
1 large aubergine cut into chunks
· 125g unsalted cashew nuts, toasted
· juice of 1 lime
· seasoning
· 4 tbsp fresh mint leaves, to garnish
· 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced, to garnish

Method
Place the garlic, salt, turmeric, sugar and lemon grass in a food
processor and process to a smooth paste. Heat the oil in large pan and
fry the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the spice paste, curry powder, star anise and cinnamon and cook
for 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the lager and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10
minutes. Add the carrots and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Stir in
the pumpkin and aubergine and bring back to the boil. Simmer for 5
minutes, add the cashew nuts and simmer another 5 minutes until the
vegetables are just tender.

Stir in the lime juice and season to taste. Divide the mixture between
six warmed serving bowls, sprinkle over the mint leaves and chopped
chillies and serve with rice or noodles.
----------------------------
Golden Squash Potage

1 cup veggie sausages, sliced or sliced seitan
1 medium butternut squash
4 cups water
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1 cup plain soymilk or Rice Dream beverage
2-3 tbsp corn oil or sesame oil
3 tbsp minced fresh parsley or 1 tbsp dried

Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and peel. Cut into 1-inch
cubes.In a large pot, bring the water to a medium boil and cook the squash
until tender (about 15 minutes).

Reserving the cooking water, transfer the squash to a blender or food
processor. Adding the reserved cooking water a little at a time, puree
the squash to a creamy consistency. Return the squash to the pot and whisk
in the salt, allspice and soymilk. Cover the puree and keep it warm over low
heat.

In a heavy pan or skillet, cook the seitan slices in the oil until
they are well browned on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Place on
absorbent paper towels to remove any excess oil.

About 10 minutes before serving the soup, add the seitan.

Ladle the hot soup into individual bowls and garnish with a sprinkle
of the parsley.