How to squeeze in some squash

Breakfast

Soya latte, oatcakes

Not a shining example of a balanced breakfast (oatcakes are definitely not the only option for an animal-free start to the day), but I was eating on the move and the individually wrapped (if not very green) packets of oatcakes are more convenient than dashing along a platform with a bowl of cereal. In fact, there are plenty of other options for animal-free breakfasts on the go (e.g. bagels, bread, sandwiches, fruit etc.) but I didn’t have a chance to prepare or buy anything other than a coffee (which is a non-negotiable essential).

Lunch

Hummus and falafel wrap, rice coated peanuts

Another consequence of a slightly hectic schedule was not being able to prepare a packed lunch. This resulted in another shop sandwich, so I went for  Tesco’s falafel wrap which is one of my favourites. The rice coated peanuts are pretty addictive and probably not that much healthier than crisps but they’re certainly very nice.

Dinner 

Butternut squash, bean and seed salad, bread, bombay mix

When I went into Tesco to buy my lunch, I was slightly dismayed by the huge queue that went from one end of the shop to another. I decided to use this positively and try to grab some dinner ingredients as I passed the various isles, but this didn’t prove quite as easy as you might imagine. Despite the queue moving very slowly,  I ended up with a single butternut squash and a packet of salad. I didn’t really have time to inspect the squash, and when I got home I found that it was rather shriveled. This didn’t seem to make a lot of difference though, as it still tasted great. The beans were actually a mixture of various ready cooked pulses and were on offer in the Co-op (I felt the need to supplement the single squash).

Despite the dubious appearance of the squash, it actually roasted really well. I put it on gas 7 (220 C), but failed as usual to remember  what time I’d put it in. I’d say that cubed squash takes around half an hour to cook, and needs some olive oil added (I just drizzled some over the top and used my hands to mix it in).

To make the salad for one person, I just threw some mixed leaves into a bowl and added half the butternut squash cubes, a few cherry tomatoes and generous handfuls of  beans and seeds. I always find that olive oil is essential to drizzle over the top, and I served the salad with some seedy bread (lightly toasted), plus a few handfuls of Bombay mix.

Butternut squash may seem like a time consuming vegetable, but if you invest ten minutes or so in peeling and chopping it, you can then leave it to pretty much roast itself while you go off and do something else. I’d check on it after about 20 mins though, just to be sure that the edges aren’t getting too dark. If you combine the squash roasting with a salad that takes only a few minutes to throw together then it’s easy to squeeze some squash into a busy schedule!

Dessert

Banana, dark chocolate

Not hugely creative I know, but it was very nice. The chocolate was more of  the Fairtrade bar that my grandparents had brought for me (amongst many other amazing items).

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