Butternut squash has become one of my favorite “new” vegetables. You know how it is… we normally continue gravitating to the same ‘ol veggies that we’re used to. It’s time to shake things up a bit and try something new! You’ve probably seen this food item sitting near the yellow squash and zucchini in the grocery store, but paid it no attention. Well, let me give you a quick introduction…
Butternut squash is a type of winter squash that is similar to pumpkin. It has a slightly sweet taste and has a texture that reminds me of a sweet potato. Not only is it delicious, but it’s PACKED with vitamins and minerals.
1 cup provides 80 calories, 1.8g protein, 0g fat, 21.5g of carbs, and 6.6g fiber. It’s a good source of fiber, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, folate, and Vitamin E! It’s also very high in Vitamin A, providing over 100% of your daily recommended intake!
Who knew this inconspicuous veggie would have so much to offer! My favorite way to prepare butternut squash is to roast it in the oven.
First, dice it into cubes, removing the skin, if preferred. The skin is VERY tough, so you will need a sharp knife. Removing the skin is also time consuming. Believe it or not, it took me 30 minutes to chop up the cubes you see in the picture, and that’s only half of it!!! I think I needed a sharper knife.
Once you have finished dicing the squash, toss it in about a tablespoon of olive oil to coat the cubes. I then season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Roast the cubes at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. I normally flip them about half way through to make sure they cook evenly and do not burn. Cook until tender and texture is close to a roasted potato.
Bon appetit!
Have you ever had butternut squash? What’s your favorite way to prepare it?
Sources:
Butternut Squash. Wikipedia website. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butternut_squash. Accessed May 2, 2014.
National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. United States Department of Agriculture website. Available at: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list. Accessed January 25, 2014.
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