It’s Fall! That means there is lots of squash – winter squash – in season now. I used to avoid cooking squash because I thought it was too hard to cook. What exactly do you do with this thick-skinned vegetable that needs a hatchet to cut open?
However, I now love squash! This is a good thing – I get a lot of it in my weekly CSA vegetable box from Spiral Path Farm. I’ve learned to cook it, and my favorites are acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash, and even pumpkin! I love the flesh and I love the seeds, too.
If you want to try cooking squash, choose one that feels heavy. The heavier the piece of squash, the more edible flesh inside! You’ll want to store squash in a cool place. It will keep for up to 2 months – so stock up now for use in the cold winter months when you are looking for a heartier delicious meal to warm your body and spirit.
Squashes have lots of fiber, potassium, iron and vitamin A. All of these are good for you, but vitamin A, in particular, is great for our immune system – a good thing as we spend more time inside with others. And fiber is something most of us could use more of in our eating plans. Fiber can help lower our risk of heart disease and cancer, and can help clear out our intestinal system to keep it running strong!
One of my favorite nutritionists, Dr. Jonny Bowden, in his book, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, suggests making squash fries, with butternut squash, or any kind you like. Bowden says to peel and seed the squash, then cut it into French fries. Coat a baking pan with olive or coconut oil, put the fries on the sheet, and swish them around to lightly coat them. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, flip them, and bake for another 20 minutes. Season your fries with any spices you like – cinnamon, turmeric, chili powder and of course, a little bit of sea salt!
And, not to be outdone, save the seeds! Don’t toss them! Rinse them, dry them off a bit, and do the same thing - put them on an oil coated pan, toss them around into a single layer, and roast (high heat – around 400-425 degrees) till golden brown, for 8 to 10 minutes – keep your eye on them.
Look for other recipes in your favorite cookbooks or online. My CSA farm has lots of good squash recipes at www.spiralpathfarm.com, then click on recipes.
To Your Vitality!
