Fabulous Yellow Squash Recipe - A Heart Healthy Middle Eastern Recipe

Prep time 10 minutes | Total Time 30 minutes

Lebanese cuisine is renowned for its flavorsome and healthful dishes, and this traditional yellow squash recipe is no exception. This vegan delight manages to pack a punch with both protein and heart-healthy ingredients. Bursting with vibrant colors, the dish embraces yellow squash as the star ingredient, highlighting its tender texture and earthy flavor. Sautéed to perfection in a fragrant blend of olive oil, onions, and spices the squash is then cooked with tomatoes and plant-based protein in the form of chickpeas, seitan or the plant based meat of your choosing.

This traditional Arabic Food epitomizes a harmonious combination of taste, nutrition, and cruelty-free goodness.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of yellow crookneck squash

• 1/2 - 1 yellow onion (one small or 1/2 medium) diced

• 1 tablespoon of plant based butter

• 1 -2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 -2 cups of water

• 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste OR if you have them fresh tomatoes - see notes below

• 1 package/ 12 ounces of Seitan or plant based “beef” cubes (optional)

• Salt to taste

• Allspice to taste

Instructions

1. Melt plant based butter over low heat and add in olive or avocado oil

2. Sauté your yellow onion in the melted butter/oil mixture until the onion is translucent (about 10 minutes over med/low heat) Stir occasionally

*If you aren’t using oil you can sauté your onion in plant based chicken broth (about 1/4 cup)

3. Add 2 cups of diced squash to your onion

4. Add in your chopped seitan or “beef” cubes- you can also add in garbanzo beans or potatoes instead or in addition! Saute this mixture for about 5 minutes.

5. Mix 2-3 T of tomato paste with 1-2 cups of water- You want your water/tomato mixture to be bright red and you want enough liquid to completely cover the squash

6. Pour your tomato paste mixture over the squash/seitan mixture

7. Add in about 1 t of salt and about 1/2 -1 teaspoon of allspice - taste it as you go to see if you like the flavor - if not add a bit more salt/allspice.

8. Cook for about 20 minutes over med heat. The mixture should be simmering and the sauce should thicken

9. Serve over rice - Grandma Matilda would only use Ben’s rice! If you cook it with potatoes just serve as it is!

Notes and Adjustments!

If you have fresh tomatoes you can use those instead of tomato paste. You will want to peel your tomatoes- you can do this by dropping a full tomato into a pan of boiling water- pull the tomato out after about a minute and the skin will peel right off. Once peeled dice them and add them to your pan when you add the squash! If your tomatoes are garden fresh this will take this dish to the next level.

This dish was traditionally made with Lamb meat however during Lent my Catholic grandmother would replace the meat with potatoes. I often make it this way and I actually prefer it that way- try it out- no meat or meat substitute needed! Enjoy!