The Squash That You Need To Try

My daughter loves butternut squash soup! Roast the squash, saute some onion and celery, add veggie broth, a few spices, whip out your food processor, and tada! Bright orange, healthy soup that even a four year old will eat! Plus, it's magically vegan, even though it tastes cream based.

courtney

Acorn Squash is good, but have you tried Spaghetti Squash? It's just as yummy and fun too!

On the weekend I made a butternut squash but mistimed it so it wasn't ready until long after dinner. I turned it into a butternut squash soup the next day and it was REALLY yummy!

Patricia

I tried acorn squash for the first time this weekend. It was great without butter and sugar.

Eunice M.

A hint to cut the squash. Score it with a knife (to prevent an explosion),then place in microwave for 3 minutes prior to cutting the squash.

Eunice M.

I love roasted squash, especially acorn and butternut. I think I'll pick some up this weekend!

KLA

I do this all the time! It's fantastic. We grew squash in our garden this year, so I'm super excited for many yummy winter meals. You can also do this in the microwave (if you're short on time) - after 10 mins take it out and scrape the sides down, and then it takes usually only 5-10 mins more! Also peeling and cubing the squash and mixing it with butter and maple syrup to roast on pans works great too! Bite size heaven!

Heidi

Try "carnival" squash -- it's quite sweet! My kiddos love it.

Jill

Squash can simply be baked in the oven for about an hour at 400 degrees. Cut in half, remove seeds and strings and eat! It is much easier to to scoop out the inedible parts *after* baking. I love spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan. Most other varieties are eaten plain around here. No need to mask rich natural flavors with sugar or syrup!

Lori

I just had one of these last week! Yum!

shanna

I love, love, love winter squash! I bake, puree, and then freeze it in two cup portions and whenever I make any type of vegy soup I add the thawed squash. It gives a nice thickness to my soups, a yummy flavor and lots of goodness. I use it in place of oil in muffins, brownies or whatever else I can think of.

Carol

Try the delicata squash, it is naturally much sweeter than the acorn squash. I find I don't need ANY butter or sugar when it is roasted :)

Michele

Squash is good! I love it roasted, baked, pureed....any way I can get it!

My favorite way is to make a stuffing with cooked brown rice, browned lean ground turkey, celery, tomatoes and tons of spices, then cut and seed an Acorn squash, pile the rice/turkey stuffing and pop it in the oven. When the squash is tender, it's done!

A complete meal and very tasty!

Karen

I make a stuffed acorn squash -- stuffed with wild rice and veggies. I can add sausage if I want a meat with it. It's good, it's filling and it comes in it's own bowl!! :)

Linda

I love love spaghetti squash! I half it, seed it (the seeds work as well as pumpkin seeds!) and place it face down in the oven at 425 for 30-40 mins until a fork goes through it rather easily. Scoop out the "spaghetti" strands inside and use it as a side/main for a few meals (I cook just for myself). I just had it today with steamed broccoli and cabbage with a bit of marinara sauce on top and it totally killed my craving for Italian- minus all of those carbs. Delish!

Sarah

Delicata squash rocks because you can cut it up and eat the skin - delicious in curries, just roasted or in a pasta dish!

ellen

Kabocha squash also has edible skin... and it's pumpkin-y. Cut up really thin in wedges with skin on and boil some Japanese style "dashi" (kombu, water, soy sauce, bonito flakes if making from scratch) and cook in that--it's sweet and salty. Or you can do more western things with them.

Sue

One of my favorite squash recipes is to take butternut squash, peel and cut into 1 in cubes, peel, core and slice 2-3 apples (depends on size),fresh cranberries and raisins. Put into a baking dish and with either maple syrup or butter and brown sugar put into a 350 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes and you have the best side dish ever. I made this and brought it into work, it was gone before I could think about saving some for me.

Bea Brennan

Easy to do in the microwave; cut acorn squash in half and take out seeds. Put in a glass dish with a cover and about 1/4 inch of water in bottom. Put some Light butter in bottom and spinkle in lots of cinnamon. Really good and very low-fat; you just need a dab of butter. Cook til it feels soft enough to scoop out. This and pumpkin low-fat pudding got me through the holidays when I did Weight Watchers!

Linda

I don't like squash recipes. But this one seems different. I would love to try it.

whey protein isolate

Guess what I just got from the grocery store!?!? Can't wait to get these babies in the oven!

Tywana

is acorn squash any easier to cut? I tried butternut squash once and it was impossible to cut! Wasn't sure if they were all like that or just that one?

lauren

@lauren - I learned a great tip a few years ago. Cut off the top (where the stem is) and the bottom first. This makes it MUCH easier to cut through.

Patricia

I make the acorn squash the same way, but just use a little Smart Balance light in place of the butter. Still yummy! You don't need a lot of brown sugar- just a sprinkle as the squash is already sweet. This is a great low sodium recipe if you leave off the salt- one of the few foods I don't gag on when no salt is added.

cathy

I like to use a grapefruit spoon to scoop out the seeds/innards easily and thoroughly. I put butter, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice in/on my acorn squash and bake them. I have also added apple slices or apple sauce! Mmmmmm

Emily

Had to come back and THANK YOU for this recipe - it has become MY FAVORITE THING TO MAKE as long as acorn squash can be found. I made with OUT the maple syrup - and only use half the brn sugar and butter (Brummel and Brown is great)... it is SO WONDERFUL!!! Also tried with butternut squash the other night and hubby wants that again too! THANK YOU...ps-have joined a 'fitness support group' and passing out your website info - hope you'll get a lot of new followers! Happy New Year!

lynn