Why I do what I do

This is the hardest working guy I know. He works at least 14 hours a day, seven days a week, trying to make his brilliant idea of a company fly. He gets tired, frustrated, elated, demoralized, wildly optimistic and sometimes just sick of it all, but he just keeps soldiering on. Why? Because he believes in what he is doing, but even more so because he wants to provide for Z and me. The very least I can do is to provide him with a healthy, tasty dinner to break up his work day. It is one small way that I can remind him daily how much I love and appreciate him.

Today I was faced with a dinner dilemma. I had at my disposal a couple of ahi tuna steaks, some cauliflower and a delicata squash. Since tomorrow is CSA box day I wanted to use up the rest of this weeks veggies, but I just couldn't find a recipe that utilized all three ingredients. After a frustrating 30 minutes of perusing cookbooks and google I decided that I would just need to take matters into my own hands.

I knew I didn't want to make an asian-inspired dinner (we love asian flavors, but I fall back on that far too often), and I felt like searing the tuna. I also wanted to have a nice big salad involved in dinner. With these as the building blocks I came up with an arugula salad with roasted delicata squash, cauliflower and lentils and topped with seared ahi and a lemon-mustard vinagrette. Sounds complicated and wordy, doesn't it? Well, let me tell you, I walked in the door from running errands at 5:00 p.m. and dinner was ready by 5:50! Here's how it all went down:

Recipe for arugula salad with roasted delicata squash, cauliflower and lentils and topped with seared ahi and a lemon-mustard vinagrette

- 8 cups arugula
- 1 medium delicata squash
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 cups Trader Joe's refrigerated lentils
- 1 pound ahi tuna steaks
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt

- Heat the oven to 440 degrees. Cut the ends off of the delicata squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out of the center and cut each half into 1/2" wide half moons.
- Place the squash in a metal baking dish large enough to hold the slices in a single layer. Toss them with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste.
- Cut the head of cauliflower into florets. Place them in a baking dish lined with parchment paper and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt. You can also add a little garlic if you like!
- Roast the vegetables for 25 minutes (the squash) and 35 minutes (the cauliflower), turning the squash slices every 7 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the tuna steaks in a glass pan (not metal) and cover with a rub of olive oil and garlic. Let marinate while you make the salad.
- Wash and dry the arugula. Toss it in a bowl with the lentils.
- In a small jar, mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dijon and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Shake well.
- When the squash comes out of the oven and the cauliflower has 10 minutes left heat a large frying pan over pretty high heat (about 8 out of 10).
- While the pan is heating, use a table knife to scoop the flesh of the squash free of the rind. I have heard that delicata has a soft, edible rind when cooked, but my rind was very hard and entirely inedible! Add the squash to the arugula and lentils.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the frying pan. When it is hot, add the fish and cook for 3 minutes per side. If you have sushi grade ahi and want it rare you can cook it for 2 minutes per side (or less, but I am not endorsing that!).
- Once the cauliflower is out of the oven, add that to the salad as well. Shake the vinagrette up again and pour it over the whole salad. Toss well.
- Plate the salad and serve with tuna steak on top. Voila! Veggies used, salad made, dinner is on the table.