I have to admit, I really hate saying goodbye to summer. But as much as I dread fall in Raincouver, I do love the beautiful colours of this season and the thing I secretly look forward to are hearty recipes made with pumpkins + squash.

Thai Butternut Squash soup is so comforting on a cold, wet and gloomy day, and another recipe that has quickly topped my “crave frequently” list are these Crispy Kabocha Croquettes jam packed with veggies to boost your immune system so you are armed and ready to battle cold & flu season. Bet you didn’t know…Kabocha squash is high in Vitamin A to help protect you from those nasty bugs and viruses!

Crispy Kabocha Croquettes

Ingredients: 

1 Kabocha Squash
1 small Red Onion diced
1 Carrot grated
1/4 cup matchstick Zucchini strips
1 large handful Kale finely chopped
1 cup Corn
2 tbsp Soy Sauce

3 cups Panko Crumbs
3 Eggs
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Wash Kabocha, scoop out all the seeds, and cut in half.
Drizzle some coconut oil on the inside, sprinkle with a bit of salt and put on a roasting pan flesh side up.
Roast for 30-40 mins (or until soft and slightly caramelized).

Saute red onion with some coconut oil on medium-low heat until caramelized.
Add carrots, kale, zucchini and corn to onions. Saute until veggies are slightly wilted and fragrant.

When Kabocha is soft, remove from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
Scoop out the flesh and put into a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Mix pureed Kabocha with sautéed veggies. Add soy sauce.
Leave in fridge to chill for 1 hr (so the mixture will be easier to form into patties).

Form into small balls using an ice cream scoop.
Coat ball in whole wheat flour, dip into beaten eggs, then roll through panko crumbs.

Smoosh into patties and pan fry on medium heat with coconut oil.
For a healthier alternative, you can also brush patties with coconut oil and bake at 400°F for 20 mins + broil for 5-10 mins.

Go try this now! I warn you…it might be a bit addicting.
Oh! If you want to drizzle on some homemade Tonkatsu Sauce for an extra tang and to kick the flavours up a notch, check out this recipe from Just One Cookbook.