Stuffed Butternut Squash with Coconut Curry Lentils

This week's featured recipe on Lost in the Supermarket!

This week's featured recipe on Lost in the Supermarket comes from Ashley Quadros, MS, RD, CD. She is a dietitian for Harmons and developed this recipe for a Cancer Prevention shopping list. Harmons Grocery and the Huntsman Cancer Institute partnered to create the shopping list which helps shoppers load up their carts with cancer fighting foods. Thanks for sharing this great recipe, Ashley!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 medium (2.5 lbs) butternut squash 
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 can (~14 oz.) light coconut milk
1.5 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
¼ ounce lemongrass
1 teaspoon fish sauce (you can use soy sauce if you don’t want to use fish sauce)
¼ teaspoon cayenne chile powder
¾ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 cup water
1 cup lentils (preferably red)
1 bunch (1/2 lb) kale (I love lacinato variety, but any will do), chopped
1 lime

For serving:
Plain yogurt, ¼ cup cilantro chopped and lime wedges

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Cut butternut squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Rub each half with ½ teaspoon canola oil. Roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes. When done, remove and let cool.

Meanwhile, heat a dutch oven or medium pot over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil and onions and sauté until translucent (about 5-10 minutes). Add garlic and ginger and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Add coconut milk, curry paste, lemongrass, fish sauce, cayenne, sugar, and turmeric. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Add water and lentils to the pot. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

At the 20-minute mark, add the chopped kale to the pot and cover. Cook for an additional 25 minutes until lentils and kales are tender, stirring every 5 minutes.

Once the lentils are tender, season with the juice of half a lime. Add salt or additional cayenne if needed. 

Cut the butternut squash halves the long way again (so you have 4 long butternut quarters). Fill the cavity with a healthy portion of the lentils and top with a dollop of plain yogurt, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro.