Butternut Squash sprinkled with oil and spices in the air fryer/AdS
Butternut Squash has quickly become a family favourite here. Either soft or a bit firmer, both are beloved side dishes.
I buy butternut squash ready-to-use at the market. Then I do the following:
Put the cubes into a large container. Sprinkle vegetable oil (or any other oil) lightly over the cubes. Then I use the following spices:
salt & white pepper
garlic
onions or chives
paprika
parsley
cumin
koriander
I place a lid on the container and shake it thoroughly. My air fryer is built into the oven. I cover an oven sheet with parchment, spread out the cubes, and turn on the air fryer at 450 for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, I turn the cubes and set the broil on for 4 minutes. Depending on your broil settings, you may need to do just 2 minutes.
Yup, I said it. I lie. I lie daily and I actually practice lying. I completely suck at it but I try nonetheless. See, I have this brilliant idea for a creative writing project: a year-long diary and all of it is a lie! It will keep me writing, acts as stress relief, gets the creative juices flowing, and who knows when finished, what becomes of it.
I highly recommend you try lying too. Why?
If you are ever stuck for writing inspiration, you can quickly lift yourself up. Just look to the left or right of you. What do you see? Dust bunnies? If so, you can lie how the cleaning crew left them behind as they were secretly watching a stream instead of cleaning. Or, you lie about the clean floor and claim to see dust bunnies with their fluffy coats and how they dance cross the hardwood floor mocking you with their perfect choreography.
If you write the truth in your journal you may not feel comfortable writing in public but when you lie, who cares who watches over your shoulder. You can sit on benches, in coffee shops, and at every spot that previously felt like a threat to your privacy. It opens up so many avenues where you can write. Lying is really freeing yourself.
Last, remember those beautiful notebooks you bought but they are to pretty to write in because you may goof up? Lying is perfect. There’s no goofing up as these lies do not need to go to court. So, if you goof up a sentence, spelling, grammar… that’s your next lie! Change the rules, make up new spelling, and just claim you got it right. Fill the pretty notebook with your most outrageous creations.
Now, I am off to do my favourite household chores. Have a productive writing day!
