How to add savor to a squash and grain mix? My friend and I have been making a sort of health mash for the past few weeks in large batches. The ingredients are something like:


1 sweet potato
1 butternut or acorn squash
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup dry lentil
1/2 cup dry Job's Tears
1/2 cup dry millet
2 tbsp roasted pine nuts
2 cups bok choy, stir-fried
1-2 blocks misc. tofu, diced


Everything is cooked in the simplest way possible and then mixed together; grains/legumes are boiled with a pinch of salt, and other things are roasted in the oven.

The problem is that this dish has a pretty subtle flavor (except the roasted pine nuts) and is a bit tedious to eat--much chewing required, it is a slow food (so to speak).

What could be added to these kinds of ingredients (predominantly grains/legumes/squash) to add more savor/flavor?  We have tried things like soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and anchovies, but these don't seem to be the perfect addition.

We have been keeping it (mostly) vegetarian so far and have some preference to keep it that way but would be open to other suggestions.
It looks to me like you need umami. One easy, healthy thing you can add is powdered dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms. I just throw the dried mushrooms into a spice grinder, it's a powerful punch.

EDIT: (SAJ14SAJ refers to the same concept, glutamates, in his answer)