Aduki Beans and Squash

Happy First Day of Fall!

To celebrate we’re sharing a macro staple today- aduki, kombu and squash, featuring the best squash ever. Period. Orange Kabocha Squash. Hubs surprised me with two beauties the other day- I walked in the door, and there they were, sitting on the counter. Vibrant orange and gorgeous. Yes. Squash can be gorgeous. Anyhoo…

Aduki beans are often used in macrobiotic cooking as they are super low in fat, and therefore one of the most easily digested beans. Their slightly sweet flavour, combined with the ridiculousness of the kabocha, makes this dish really nourishing for your stomach, spleen and pancreas. The beans are delicious as leftovers, and can be easily transformed by adding a bit of tahini, some celery, scallion, any other veggies you like finely diced, and voila! Bean salad. I’ve also whizzed leftovers into a creamy, thick soup and seasoned with cumin or even a little curry powder. You get the idea- make a big batch so you have leftovers to work with for a few days. Aren’t leftovers fabulous? If you can’t find kabocha, don’t despair! Buttercup, butternut, red curi, or another sweet, hard winter squash will all work nicely. And if you make too much, you can even freeze this dish. Yes- frozen isn’t 100% ideal, but when life gets busy it’s nice to have a few frozen options for when the fridge is empty and a veggie burger at the local pub is calling your name…

{click above image for a printable recipe document}

As for where to find aduki beans, my absolute favourite aduki beans are from Hokkaido, Japan. They are so perfectly uniform in size and colour, super shiny, and really high in minerals as they grow in rich, volcanic soil. However, I haven’t been able to find them any other place than though the Kushi Store. Anyone out there with a secret source?!?! My next favourite are from Michigan I believe- and I buy them through Wayne at Macrobiotics Canada. Speaking of Wayne- he’s coming to Toronto! You should come! Read more about his visit here.  Hope to see you there!

If you can’t find aduki beans, feel free to try this dish using another bean. Likewise, if squash is hard to come by, you could substitute carrot, parsnip, onion or even rutabaga.

Hubs and I are heading out today to test drive some cars, fast and furious style (hold on tight, car sales person!!) then plan to follow up the lead footed action with a walk in the park. What are your plans for the first weekend of Fall?