creamed spinach + pea butternut squash gratin

Every week, I head to Trader Joe's to stock up for the week. I usually have a semblance of a shopping list, and some idea of meals in my mind. Since I had leftover butternut squash just calling my name in the fridge, I planned to cook up some butternut-pumpkin squash soup. Then I went food shopping. And I love how Trader Joe's always has samples. Sometimes I can't try it-- you know, not vegetarian friendly. But this trip I could. And it felt like kismet. The sample was the butternut squash creamed spinach gratin frozen meal, and it was love upon first bite. I immediately said (out loud, I think, to no one in particular), "THIS is what I'm going to make tonight."

And for a recipe kind of thrown together on the fly, I think it came together pretty well. As I had already chopped up the bulbous end of my butternut squash from the noodle recipe, I didn't have the option of a true gratin, with thin slices and layers of flavors. Instead, the end result was more like a mish-mash casserole... a pretty delicious one, if I may say. 

creamed spinach + pea butternut squash gratin 

• 1 full butternut squash or 2 butternut squash bulbous ends, chopped
• 1 bag (16 oz) frozen spinach
• 1/2 bag (16 oz) frozen peas
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 

First, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Second, prep veggies. Add olive oil, garlic, and onion to heated pan. Coat garlic and onion,  let cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and coconut milk, mix well. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add peas and mix well.

 Grease baking dish. Add butternut squash chunks. Then add spinach and pea mix. Mix well. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes, or until browned and bubbly and the squash chunks are soft. Let rest and set for 5-10 minutes.