I love the way the flavors in this dish work together: there’s a little smokiness, a little sweetness, and a little tang– all in a warming, earthy tangle. I chose butternut squash because that’s what I had on hand, but I’m sure other types of winter squash would be equally delicious. I followed Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s recipe for roasting the squash and it turned out perfectly.
*To toast the pine nuts, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, watching closely, just until lightly browned and fragrant.
*If you don’t have a steamer you could try one of these methods for steaming the kale, or even the microwave. Whatever works!

1 cup roasted butternut squash cubes (I used 1 small butternut)
1 smallish bunch of kale, rough stems removed, chopped
1 package of soba noodles
¼ cup toasted pine nuts

For the dressing, whisk together:
2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• Cook soba according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, steam kale with a tiny dash of salt in a metal steamer with lid over medium-high heat, for 4-5 minutes. This may have to be done in batches.
• Toss soba with kale and dressing, and sprinkle with pine nuts. Taste and see if you want to add a little more tamari or other dressing ingredients.

Yield: About 3 servings