Apple Cider Lentils with Roasted Parsnip and Tofu and Butternut Squash

Dinner April 11, 2025

Note: I had some old-ish red onions that were sprouting greens. Their greens are more potent than green onions. So I'd recommend using the whole green onion raw and not just the green part in the dressing.

Ingredients:

1lb Parsnips

Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt

freshly ground Black Pepper

2 cups Apple Cider

1 cup Brown or Green Lentils

20oz Firm Tofu

3 tablespoons Corn Starch

1lb puréed Butternut Squash

1 Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1lb Spinach, roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Peel the parsnip and then cut into 1-inch cubes. Prepare a baking sheet with foil and grease. Drizzle the parsnip with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Cook for half an hour.

Meanwhile, add apple cider to a pot and bring to a boil. Rinse lintels, then add to the boiling apple cider with a little salt, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until soft, 20-30 minutes.

Cut the tofu into ½-inch cubes and add to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Then sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu and gently toss to coat again.

Once the parsnip's first 30 minutes in the oven is done, stir/flip the cubes and make some room on the same tray for the tofu. Spread the tofu pieces out in a single layer so they do not touch. Bake the tofu and squash for another 15 minutes, carefully flip the tofu, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet brown the onion. Add the spinach and cook till wilted. Then add the puréed squash and season to taste with salt, pepper, and apple cider.

Final Notes:

I can't remember if the lintels needed to be drained. If they did, I probably drained the apple cider into the butternut squash purée. But cooking them in apple cider was good!

Base of lentils, then butternut squash and spinach, topped with roasted tofu and (well browned) parsnips.