David and I are really trying to eat better this year. That means that it is time for some new recipes to hit the books. This week I decided to try a vegetable that we hardly ever eat. I think I have prepared butternut squash only one other time in my life.
I decided to try butternut squash after researching fruits and vegetables looking for the best in the bunch. I did not know this but some health experts consider butternut squash to be a power food. It is low in fat but high in fiber. It also has vitamin B6, vitamin C and loads of of potassium as well as high levels of beta-carotene. The kicker is that it only contains 82 calories per cooked cup.
I had no idea how to cook this squash, but I assumed that it was similar to the small pie pumpkins I bake when making pumpkin bread and other pumpkin items.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Wash and then cut squash in half (longways).
- Remove the seeds
- Sprinkle with nutmeg
- Sprinkle with cinnamon
- Place on a baking sheet (insides facing down)
- Bake for 35 minutes (or until you can insert a fork into it without force)
- Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Then peel the cooked squash away from the skin. The skin is very easy to remove once cooked. If you prefer you can peel the squash prior to cooking.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- You may even want to add additional cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Place into a bowl and beat into the consistency of mashed potatoes.
My daughter said that this tasted like pumpkin pie and she ate every bite. I found it to be very tasty. It also turned out to be very smooth and creamy.
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