My New Years resolution for 2015 was all about food–as is everything else in my life. I wanted to get healthier, maybe lose the 20 pounds I gained in the last two years, and limit my eating habits to a more vegan-friendly diet. I knew I had to write down concrete resolutions, though, if I ever wanted to see them put into action.

1. Vegan before six. (Which pretty much means at dinner I eat cheese, because cheese is everything.)

2. Work out two to three days a week. This may not sound like a lot but I have realized if I put my expectations too high, I get really sad when I don’t work out a lot and end up not going.

3. No drinking during the week. It’s just healthy to drink less in general!

4. Cook seasonally.

For the first two weeks, I am happy to say I have been successful in my endeavors. I have felt amazing eating so much produce rather than cheese and carbs. I hope to fill up the column this semester with all types of vegan and seasonal ideas. The seasonal inspiration is mainly from a cookbook I picked up in New York City over winter break. The book is called “In Season,” by Sarah Raven. Each chapter is devoted to different types of produce that are in season in certain months. It comes with some amazing recipes to get you really excited about what is sustainably growing during the different seasons.

My recipe I would like to share with you today is not entirely in season, but it’s not completely out of season either. I made a butternut squash with goat cheese and thyme, baked with breadcrumbs and parmesan on top. It is best served with a simple pasta or large green salad.

What you will need for a main dish for one person, or a smaller dish for two people:

1 butternut squash

1 Tbs of thyme

2 Tbs of goat cheese

¼ cups of parmesan

¼ cups of breadcrumbs

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start with setting your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Scrape the seeds and guts out. Rub olive oil and salt and pepper on the two fleshy halves of the squash and place them both face down on a cookie sheet. Put in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour or until the flesh is soft. When finished baking, take the squash out and let it cool until you are able to handle it.

Scrape the meat out of one half of the squash, leaving a layer of flesh remaining. Scrape the other half out completely. Put the scraped out contents into a bowl with the goat cheese and thyme. Check seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stuff the shell with the layer of flesh remaining with the goat cheese and squash mix. Sprinkle with parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle it with a little bit of olive oil to finish it off. Pop in the oven with the setting on low broil. Take out when the top is browned.