Autumn Crostini with Kale and Squash

I’ve been in a bit of a weird food rut lately. I can’t ever figure out what I want to eat, I don’t crave things with the same ohmygahhhmusteatthisnow intensity. I float between “hmmm, I guess that sounds good” and “maybe I’ll make that,” no longer spend every waking hour contemplating what I’ll eat next. It’s all very weird. (Or, maybe normal? How often should one think about food anyway?)

Maybe it’s end-of-summer listlessness. There’s only so much one can do with zucchini and tomatoes and corn before they get boring. Or maybe the prospect of cooking yet another balanced meal for lunch and dinner is bit … blah. I haven’t been truly excited to be in the kitchen for a while, despite spending copious amounts of time there cooking stuffed peppers or making banana bread.

So I thought I’d try “unconventional” this week. Monday, I had a grilled cheese for dinner, with sauteed kale, sharp cheddar, pesto and tomatoes. It was pretty glorious, and kind of fun to indulge in something I very rarely eat. Tuesday night, I had these autumn crostini, appetizers for dinner, if you will. A puree of butternut squash, roasted garlic and balsamic vinegar (similar to these mashed potatoes) formed the base, topped with sauteed shallots, kale and feta.

Usually, I’d just toss the roasted butternut squash cubes with the kale (either sautéed or fresh) and create a salad, maybe with a grain. And in fact, I did use half of the squash in a lentil salad to (maybe) be named later. But crostini seemed like a fun way to use up leftover bread, and the butternut squash mash is a cinch with a food processor, stick blender or even just a fork and strong biceps.

Even though the recipe is by all accounts “healthy” and “balanced” and all those other things that grown-up dinners should be, it felt weirdly exciting and special to basically have a snack for dinner. Paired with a glass of wine and the strangest episode of television I have ever witnessed, it was a respite, however brief, from my food apathy.

Do you ever get stuck in food ruts? How do you deal?

Autumn Crostini with Kale and Butternut Squash
Makes 6 appetizer servings

– 3 cloves of garlic

– 1 20-ounce package pre-cut butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes

– 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

– 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

– 1/2 teaspoon cumin

– 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

– salt and pepper, to taste

– 2 shallots, sliced

– 2 cups fresh baby kale

– 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

– 12 half-slices of a sourdough boule or 12 slices of baguette

– 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

– 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1) Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Remove most of the papery shells from the garlic, leaving each clove still in its shell. Place on a small square of tin foil and wrap into a packet. Roast for 35-40 minutes, rotating halfway. Set aside to cool.

2) On the baking sheet, toss the butternut squash cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the cayenne pepper, cumin, smoked paprika and salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway, until the butternut squash is tender. (You can roast the garlic and butternut squash simultaneously.)

3) While the squash is roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil on low heat in a large skillet. Add the shallots and saute slowly until they soften and caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the kale and crushed red pepper. Increase the heat, stirring frequently, until the kale has wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

4) Once the squash is roasted, remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Replace the foil on the baking sheet. Place the bread slices on the baking sheet and toast for 3-5 minutes on each side, until the bread is crisp and starting to brown.

5) After the squash has cooled, transfer the cubes to a food processor. Pop the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and add to the food processor. Mash for 1 minute, then add the balsamic vinegar and mash for an additional 3 minutes, until the squash has formed a chunky puree.

6) Spread the squash puree over each crostini, then layer the sauteed kale. Top with the crumbled feta and serve.