The cooler weather here in the northeast makes me realize that (sniff!) summer’s really over. But the start of scarf season signifies a welcome addition: winter squash season. Squash is a versatile, healthy treat: use it in soups, stir-fries, muffins & cakes, pureed or mashed, or simply baked. There are countless health benefits to winter squash. They’re packed with vitamins A & C, B vitamins, folic acid, omega 3 fatty acids, copper, potassium, and manganese – just to name a few. And winter squash’s sweet flavor actually helps stave off sugar cravings by helping to satisfy our sweet tooth – naturally.
Those lumpy beauties made their debut at my local farm market last weekend and I excitedly snatched a few up. I took a butternut and baked it on a baking sheet on parchment for about 45 minutes at 450 degrees (it got a little crispy on the ends so I’d probably do it at a lower degree for less time in the future, but I was trying to multitask by cooking it along side my roast chicken). When it was ready, I let it cool a bit before I scooped out the flesh and we mashed it up with a little organic butter, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. Simple and most delicious! And an excellent accompaniment to our local roast chicken and sauteed kale and garlic.
Looking for squash recipes? Try these – they all sound delicious!