Made with love

One of my best friends underwent surgery yesterday.  When she told me that she was going to have surgery this year, I was worried and hopeful that all would come out well.  

After-surgery recovery sucks. Food doesn't taste the same and the body isn't interested in digesting heavy foods in the first few days. I'm not very good at knowing what to say, so instead I made her food. I think she sticks around because I cook for her so much.

Because I signed up for a home delivery service of organic fruits and vegetables, I always have plenty to choose from in my house. The last three boxes included a butternut squash. I mean, I like squash, but not THAT much.  I can only handle so much of any food.

Thanks to Rachel Ray and her "Every Day Rachel Ray" magazine, I found the perfect puree for post surgery-Roasted Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato and Carrots...and I added my own twist.  

The recipe calls for:

carrots, sweet potatoes, celery

• 2lbs of butternut squash (peeled,sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1lb of carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
• 1lb sweet potatoes (peeled,sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges each
• 3 tbsp EVOO

Butternut Squash,garlic and onions

It didn't seem like enough flavor...so I added three cloves of garlic, Italian seasoning and chili flakes (Carmen is fan of sorta spicy), two celery sticks, and chicken stock instead of water.  The recipe asks us to drizzle olive oil on the vegetables before putting them into the oven to roast. I did, but I also added the garlic and herbs before putting them into the oven.   The recipes I find often consist of basic ingredients,almost daring us to make changes and update with our own flavors. This one fit that theory.

After the veggies roasted, I put them to boil in chicken stock. Then, in batches, put it all to puree in the blender.  Remember to add the salt and pepper, too!  The puree is a perfect blend of healthy vitamins and minerals to promote a healthy recovery.  It may even be a good option for infants (minus the chili flakes). 

The puree will be complemented with a dollop of sour cream on top and a lot of love while serving it to your loved ones. Carmen is in recovery and has already enjoyed two servings. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!