Today you get to meet 17-year old Emily, one of my very favorite people of all time. I have known her since she was 12 days old and love her more each day.

A little about Emily:  She likes to read, play music and spend time with friends. She also told me she just generally likes life, which is pretty great. Emily likes to bake just about anything with chocolate. She is super sweet and always makes yummy vegan treats for me for birthdays and other holidays.

When I asked Emily what her favorite vegetables are the first thing she said was “I don’t like any vegetables.” I think this is a common answer among children. There is a myth that floats around that says children don’t like vegetables. Ever heard this one? Children hear it, too, and sometimes believe it.

I know Emily well enough that I already had a list of the vegetables I know she likes and just needed to check with her for accuracy. As a toddler, she would eat a whole medium size zucchini in one sitting! It turns out she likes a lot more vegetables (and dishes starring them) than she thought!

Here are some of her favorites:

  • green salad:  romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cranberries, olives, croutons with a vegan Caesar dressing or a sesame dressing
  • baked delicata squash (recipe below)
  • steamed broccoli, left a tiny bit crunchy
  • green beans cooked with olive oil, garlic and sliced almonds
  • creamy squash soup
  • potato leek soup

Three other recipes I make that she loves are Quinoa Salad, Fresh Salad Rolls and Barley Soup.

Baked Delicata Squash

1 or 2 delicata squash (make sure it’s ripe so it’s nice and sweet, it will be a creamy color instead of white-ish)
olive oil
sea salt (optional)

1.  Oven to 350°.

2.  Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Leave the skin on, but go around the outside and cut off any hard spots.

3.  Lightly brush the squash all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with just a pinch or two of sea salt.

4.  Place the squash pieces in a covered baking dish and bake until soft. This will take 30 to 40 minutes depending on the thickness of the squash.

Notes:
I sometimes drizzle the squash with a little shoyu or maple syrup before baking.
You can also add a few slices of ginger to the baking dish.

Thanks for sharing, Emily!