Believe In Winter Squash!

It is a wonderfully potent vegetable.
Winter squash has been around along time, people.

In addition to finding evidence of the beginnings of intricate agricultural systems in the Americas, anthropologistTom Dillehay at Vanderbilt University, discovered squash seeds in Peru that date back 10,000! Wow!

Without a doubt, squash is easy to grow, stores well, tastes sweet and wonderful and is loaded with nutrients. It is clear that centuries of peoples have grown and enjoyed squash.

This time of year, a multitude of varieties of squash are busting out all over. With the fall chill coming on strong, who can deny the craving for a warm buttery, hardy portion of squash?

One cup of winter squash has about 80 calories, is high in VitaminA–214% recommended daily value, and Vitamin C (33%) as well as B6, K, potassium and folate.

In a cool dry, place (50-60 degrees) squash stores nicely all winter long.

Let’s gather our squash and start cookin‘. Comfort food feelings are sure to set in once you smell the sweet aroma of the first squash you cook.

What kind to pick?

Acorn: most common and around year round, flesh can be watery so cook longer to bring out flavor.

Buttercup: old fashioned with a cup at the stem, full of flavor and fiber…a keeper and fantastic flavor every time!

Butternut: Queen of versatility, butternut is sweet and has the most meat and fewest seeds of the lot…more bang for your buck, no doubt!

Hubbard: Huge and ugly…sweet and great stuffed…you have to throw down it on the sidewalk to crack it open–great for letting your aggressions out.

Kabocha–Japanese squash with deep orange flesh, loaded with nutrients, potently flavorful.

Red Kuri–another Japanese squash deeply orange and tasty, the most bountifully nutritious of the bunch

Spaghetti–Oblong, mild in flavor, super stringy resembling spaghetti, thus the name….

Cut squash with caution and brute strength. These gems are hard! You can always heat your squash in the oven for a few minutes for skin loosening which allows the knife to get through easier. Once you’ve opened your squash, remove seeds and stringy fibers.

You can peel skin with a paring knife or veggie peeler. If you are baking your squash, you don’t have to remove the skin if you are going to scoop out flesh when serving.

The easiest way to bake winter squash is to place them face down on a well-oiled pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Here are a couple of creative squash recipes…of course, there are zillions of ways to prepare squash. The beautiful thing about that is whether you do squash as an entree, side dish or sweet desert, they are fantastic to the tastebuds.

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash
3 acorn squash
5 oz of bulk turkey sausage
1 small onion
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T chili powder
1 t ground cumin
2 c chopped cherry tomatoes
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
1/2 t salt
Several dashes of hot red pepper sauce, to taste
1 c shredded Swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Oil baking sheet
2. Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out seeds.
Place face down on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in an large oiled skillet, heat on medium
heat. Add turkey sausage and cook, stirring and
breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly
browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell
pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3-5 minutes.
4. When squash is tender, reduce oven to 325 degrees.
Fill squash halves with the turkey mixture. Top
with cheese. Place o the baking sheet and bake
until the filling is heated through and the cheese
is melted, 8-10 minutes.
6 servings

Spaghetti Squash and Pork Stir-Fry

1 3 lb. spaghetti squash
1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 t toasted sesame oil
5 medium scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves, garlic, minced
1 T minced fresh ginger
1/2 t. salt
2 T soysauce or tamari
2 T rice vinegar
1 t. Asian red chile sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half. Discard seeds.
Place face down on oiled baking sheet.
Bake 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes then
shred the flesh with a fork into a bowl.
Discard shell.
3. Slice pork into matchstick rounds.
4. Heat a large wok over medium-high
heat. Swirl in oil, then add scallions, ginger,
and salt; cook, stirring until fragrant,
30 seconds. Add the pork, stirring
constantly, until just cooked through 2-3
minutes. Add the shredded squash and
cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add soy
sauce, rice vinegar and chili sauce;
cook, stirring constantly, until
aromatic, about 30 seconds.
4 servings

Thanks to Eating Well Magazine for the
ultimate squash recipes.

Yes, folks, you can’t go wrong with squash…..take the time and do the slow cook dance…your belly will be very happy!