Here is a delicious recipe I came up with the other day, and it was reeeeally good!!  Serve this with some pan seared salmon, grilled chicken, or roasted shrimp, and a big green salad, and you’re all set!

 Butternut Squash with Lentils
1 Butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 tbsp thyme
1 cup French lentils
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 clove garlic
1 orange (use 1 tbsp of  the zest and the juice of half the orange.  Other half of juice is for vinaigrette)
1/3 cup chipped walnuts
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Red pepper flakes

Vinaigrette
Juice of half an orange
1 cube frozen garlic (Trader Joe’s) or one clove very finely minced garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (to taste)
¼ cup olive oil

Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Peel and dice the butternut squash, place on a sheet pan and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste, and 1 tbsp of the chopped thyme.  Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

 On the stovetop, in a saucepan place one tbsp olive oil and heat on medium.   Add the chopped garlic, 1 tbsp of chopped thyme, the zest of the orange, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Cook until the garlic is soft, but not brown and then add the lentils and toast them for 2 minutes.  Add the juice of half the orange and the chicken broth.  Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook per box instructions of the lentils.

When everything is finished cooking, combine the ingredients together in a large bowl, add the chopped walnuts, and add as much or little of the vinaigrette as you want.  You could even reserve the dressing and just add it when you are ready to eat the lentils.  It’s up to you!

 Vinaigrette

Put the cube of garlic in a small mixing bowl and let it defrost (it only takes a few minutes) or chop the clove of garlic very fine and place in the bowl.  Add the juice of the other half of your orange, Dijon mustard, and salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Stir everything together.  Continue stirring as you slowly add the olive oil and continue mixing until everything is very well combined.