A Soothing Meal - Butternut Squash and Pesto Penne

My stomach hasn't been feeling well lately, probably due to stress at work. So I haven't felt much like cooking or eating. But I was feeling weak, and so last night I wanted to make a proper meal.

I had a butternt squash in the fridge. I'd planned to roast it with agave nectar and cream, but that didn't seem like a wise move under the circumstances. So I baked it for about 10 minutes at 200 C to soften it, and then M, who often serves as my sous chef extraordinaire, peeled and chopped it into 1 cm pieces. Then I put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, M chopped an onion, and I carmelised it in a pan with olive oil and agave. I love using agave for cooking; it's not as sweet as sugar or honey, and it has a lower GI index, for those who are concerned about such things.

I put the dried whole-wheat penne in with it for a couple of minutes, so it would pick up some of the sweet, oniony flavour. I poured boiling water over it and let the penne boil for 10 minutes, until it was nicely al dente.

I drained the penne and onion, added two containers of chopped tomatoes, warmed it all up. I added the squash, some yogurt, and a couple of heaping tablespoons of red pesto.

And dinner was served. It soothed my stomach and filled us both up.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
1 onion
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp agave (or honey or sugar)
2 servings of pasta (see the bag/box for the right amount -- I often make double to amount so M and I both have leftovers for lunch the next day; also, whole-wheat is healthier and tastier)
400-800 grams chopped tomatoes, or 1-2 tins (depending how tomatoey you like it)
3 Tbs Greek-style yogurt
2-3 Tbs red pesto

Instructions
1. Chop and peel the squash (or bake it first to soften it, then chop and peel it).
2. Roast the squash pieces for 15 min at 200 C.
3. Chop the onion.
4. Carmelise the onion in olive oil and agave.
5. Add the pasta to the pan and coat it with the onion and oil, and let it toast for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Add boiling water and boil for 10-12 minutes, until al dente.
7. Drain.
8. Add the tomatoes and warm.
9. Add the yogurt, pesto, and squash pieces.
10. Mix well and warm.
11. Serve and enjoy.