Just when fall puts a chill in the air, my small apartment\u2019s oven heats up: it\u2019s finally the season for baking winter squash. On my laptop, the (vegan) mouse browses its way not through cheese, but a small folder marked \u201cRecipes,\u201d highlighting any page with the word \u201csquash\u201d in it. The screen lights with dozens of listings.<\/p>\n
Disclosure: I love squash.<\/p>\n
But winter squash are more than just a creamed delicacy for babies, sustenance for the dental-impaired, or my personal obsession. These autumn-hued fruits (usually prepared like vegetables) are also a healthful treat, leaving you deliciously satisfied (and somewhat virtuous) during and after savoring the last golden mouthful on your spoon. In this article, we\u2019ll look at why winter squash are worth biting into, how to choose them, and what to do with them once they\u2019re sitting on your counter\u2026waiting.<\/p>\n
Remember hot summer days filled with zucchini, zucchini, and more of the same? There\u2019s a distinct difference between summer squash, like zucchini, and winter squash, like pumpkin.<\/p>\n
Summer squash<\/strong><\/p>\n Winter squash<\/strong><\/p>\n Of the winter squash, harvest-orange pumpkins and pale golden butternut squash are probably the two most familiar members. If this is true for you, it\u2019s all the more reason to meet new \u201crelatives,\u201d such as buttercup squash, fairytale squash, and of course, Cinderella pumpkins\u2014squash that seem to belong to tales from The Brothers Grimm. For a quick guide to the many kinds of squash and their characteristics, check out this site<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now that you know there\u2019s plenty of winter squash for sale, why should you care?<\/p>\n Winter squash are a little like the tastiest, heaviest multivitamin you\u2019ve ever tried\u2014with added fiber. In just one cup of the average baked winter squash, you\u2019re consuming the following percentages of your daily values [1]<\/sup>:<\/p>\n And the best part for those watching their waists?<\/p>\n Among other reasons to enjoy winter squash, high levels of fiber also make this fruit stick better in your stomach than at your waist. That\u2019s partly why some consider winter squash like spaghetti squash \u201ca dieter\u2019s dream.\u201d [2]<\/sup> It\u2019s more filling than many other processed carbs, with less calories.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s one thing to write that butternut squash \u201ccould help reduce risk of inflammation-related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma,\u201d [3]<\/sup> or that it and other winter squash may help regulate blood sugar and prevent diabetes 2 (thank you, fiber)\u2026and another matter completely to consume it. And here\u2019s where winter squash outstrip any pill: they\u2019re delicious.<\/p>\n Under the oven\u2019s spotlight, roasting squash slowly softens into smooth submission in my oven. On the kitchen counter, more squash\u2014varieties like red kuri and sweet potato squash, as well as familiar favorites like butternut squash\u2014overflow the space my roommate has allotted to my seasonal madness. I can\u2019t resist the chance to taste the subtle differences between squash varieties in a new, intriguing recipe. Or, I might simply scoop out the seeds and bake the squash, which is always exquisite.<\/p>\n Here are the steps to your own squash bliss:<\/p>\n Yes, pumpkin count as winter squash, but choosing one from the pumpkin patch is not quite the same. When you look for a winter squash for consumption, Whole Living recommends that you \u201cChoose an unblemished fruit that feels heavy for its size with a matte, rather than glossy, skin. A shiny exterior indicates that the fruit was picked too early, and it won’t be as sweet as a fully grown squash.\u201d [4] <\/sup>If you\u2019re eating with the seasons, you know that the best place to buy fresh, inexpensive winter squash (and other fresh-from-the-local-fields produce) at this time of year is the farmers market<\/a>.<\/p>\n Very little in cooking is easier than baking a squash, once you open it up. Most winter squash have tough rinds that can be difficult to cut. When opening the squash, cut it in half by using a large kitchen knife. Be careful! If you\u2019re intimidated, start with a smaller squash of oblong shape; two easy ones to try are butternut squash and delicata squash.<\/p>\n * The seeds can be delicious roasted separately. Rinse off any strings or bits of squash with water, pat them dry, place them in a small bowl to mix with a drop or two of extra virgin olive oil and any flavorings (ex. salt, pepper, garlic, or cinnamon; not necessary) you choose. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for about 15 minutes, or until seeds start to pop, remove them from the oven, then cool on the baking tray before eating.<\/p>\n Beyond baking, stuffing squash is also a common way to enjoy them, and there are countless other options. As a squash lover for many years, I\u2019ve come across a few outstanding recipes (below). Try them. Enjoy them. Or go on your own scavenger hunt for others.<\/p>\n Conclusion? Squash are in season, ridiculously healthy, and ridiculously easy to enjoy. So \u201csquash\u201d any qualms about trying them, ignore my bad pun, and do turn on your oven.<\/p>\n And always, baked squash.<\/p>\n ________________________________________<\/p>\n[1] \u201cSquash, winter,\u201d The George Mateljan Foundation \u2028for The World’s Healthiest Foods, accessed Nov. 9, 2012<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019ll look at why winter squash are worth biting into, how to choose them, and what to do with them once they\u2019re sitting on your counter\u2026waiting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":21227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[555],"thb-sponsors":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","tag-seasonal","post_format-post-format-image"],"acf":[],"views":1924,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=434"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/434\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21755,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/434\/revisions\/21755"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=434"},{"taxonomy":"thb-sponsors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thb-sponsors?post=434"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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Your Health.<\/h3>\n
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\u201cEat me.\u201d<\/h3>\n
1. Choosing winter squash.<\/h3>\n
2. Cooking with winter squash<\/h3>\n
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Your Winter Squash To-Try List.<\/h3>\n
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[2] \u201cWinter Squash Wonderland,\u201d<\/a>
[3] \u201cPower Foods: Butternut Squash,\u201d Body + Soul 2008<\/a>.
[4] Ibid.<\/p>