Roasted Butternut Squash & Beets with Millet, Chickpeas & Figs
Hello friends. I was on a bowl kick this week, because you just can’t get much easier than tossing a bunch of stuff together in a bowl to make a delicious and healthy meal! I know a lot of family, friends and clients with different food sensitivities and allergies, so I tend to occasionally omit certain things from my cooking even when I do not need to for my own dietary needs. Keeps me on my toes, I suppose. 😉
I think I have mention before that my sister has quite a few food sensitivities, garlic and onions being two of the big ones. I usually use a lot of those in my cooking because they are too darn delicious and also quite good for you if you do not have any tolerance issues. However, my family has all learned how to adjust to make things taste great even without those two ingredients. Depending upon the seasoning mix you use, this recipe is allium-allergy friendly. You can always do a mix of basil, oregano, and time just to be sure.
Millet is a gluten-free grain, so if you have celiacs or any other sensitivity to gluten it can be a great substitute to still get in a great serving of whole grain fiber. I do not keep totally gluten-free, but I do try to consume almost all of my grains in their whole form. Farro is probably my favorite in the grain family. Like most of my foods, I try to rotate out my grains each week to keep my meals interesting and get a full variety of nutrients.
And of course vegan food is free from any animal products, so there is no dairy, eggs or meat to be found. If you want to knock out all of the big allergens, you can even substitute sunflower seeds if you cannot eat nuts. 🙂 I also try to avoid using oil as much as possible as there is quite a bit of evidence that it causes inflammation in the body and too much fat can actually hinder insulin response. I personally can tell a big difference in my skin when I keep my fats to whole food, plant-based sources like nuts, seeds, avocado and organic soy.
Even if you do not have any food allergies, hopefully this would be a recipe you can enjoy!
Roasted Butternut Squash & Beets with Millet, Chickpeas & Figs
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled & chopped
- 1 pound beets, trimmed & chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian-style seasoning
- 1 cup millet
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (about 2 15-ounce cans)
- 3 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar (can use regular balsamic, as well)
- 8 dried black mission figs, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped shelled pistachios
- leafy greens of choice for serving
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your squash and beets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and mix together. Place in the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes or until soft. Stir at least once halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, cook your millet according to package directions. You can substitute a different grain if you wish.
When your veggies and grains are finished cooking, mix together with the chickpeas, vinegar, figs and pistachios in a large bowl. Adjust the amount of vinegar to taste. Serve warm or cold over a big helping of leafy greens.
Please follow and like PlantsToPlanks
