Safe and Fair Recipe Means EVERYONE is Part of the Party!

Thanksgiving is upon us, Dear Readers, so here is a perfect side dish for those in your life (and at your Thanksgiving Day table) with food allergies or challenging diets. I don’t know about you but I believe everyone should be part of the party, even if they are a vegan… just kidding… That means serving "safe and fair" recipes. A "safe and fair" recipe means EVERYONE is part of the Party! A small butternut squash half that has been roasted to perfection is an excellent "safe and fair" side dish recipe for Thanksgiving Day! Since this recipe feeds two people it is easy to plan for and feed as many guests as you like. This recipe is ideal for any loved one with nut (or even dairy) allergies so it’s SAFE + FAIR for EVERYONE and perfect for the SAFE + FAIR = THANKFUL: AN ALLERGY FRIENDLY RECIPE CONTEST (https://www.safeandfair.com/pages/thanksgiving-recipe-contest) which is awesome! Yay! Please visit THE SAFE + FAIR FOOD COMPANY WEBSITE to learn about the yummy and allergy-friendly products this clever company has to offer. 

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                                   Roasted Butternut Squash with Onion, Brown Sugar and Sage
1          small butternut squash, washed, cut in half lengthwise and seeded (seeds reserved)
             Cooking spray as needed
             Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½         of 1  small yellow onion 
2          fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade (See instructions below)
2          tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2          tablespoons whipped butter OR 1 tablespoon stick butter OR olive oil
Yield:
2 servings
Equipment You Will Need:
Foil, or parchment paper, baking sheet, cutting board, chef’s knife, sturdy spoon
Shopping Guide:
Small butternut squash, cooking spray, brown sugar, sage, onion, butter or olive oil 
Time:
60-90 minutes, depending upon the size of the squash, including assembling and cooking the ingredients
 
Preheat oven to 375°. For ease of clean up, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and then with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the seeded squash halves, skin down on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray each with cooking spray. Season each with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside while you prepare the onion and sage. 
To prepare the onion: Peel and halve the onion. Lay ½ flat and slice into ¼ inch-thick slices. Set aside. Reserve the other half of the onion for another use.
To chiffonade the sage: Stack the leaves. Roll up the leaves widthwise, like a cigar. Slice widthwise, into thin strips.Gently fluff to separate the strips. Set aside.
Scatter brown sugar over tops and in each cavity followed by the sage and finally the sliced onion. Dot each squash half with 1 tablespoon whipped butter OR ½ tablespoon of stick butter or olive oil. Bake squash until soft, golden and sugar begins to bubble; about 30-40 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and allow squash to cool 10 minutes before serving.
*Remember the butternut squash seeds you removed from inside the squash? They add a terrific crunch and taste a lot like pumpkin seeds. 
How to Roast Squash Seeds:
Preheat oven to 350°. Remove any membrane that is clinging to seeds. Heat a (nonstick) frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan. When the oil is hot, add seeds and sea salt to taste. (Be careful the seeds will splatter.) Toss seeds about 10 minutes, until just brown. Pour seeds onto a lined baking sheet. Roast 7-9 minutes. Serve seeds with Roasted Butternut Squash with Onion, Brown Sugar and Sage recipe above or with salads, pastas or whatever. 
 This blog is sponsored by The Safe + Fair Food Company but the opinions are my own.