You can grate it, bake it, stuff it, grill it, saute it, smash it, puree it, even make it savory or sweet...what am I talking about?! Squash, that's what!
I remember growing up, hearing my parents say “eat your vegetables!” But, when I saw a boring old squash sitting on the table, all I thought was “What is this squishy thing?” Back then, I thought “only an old person would eat this and like it”. Ya, I know...those are some harsh words to say about a vegetable I just met, but it's true! In my mind, there was absolutely NO WAY this veggie could be appetizing. Wooooooh, I was wrong!
What exactly is a squash?
Squashes have been around for quite a long time, something like approximately 10,000 years. They are said to be “one of the oldest known crops” - - now do you see why as a kid I categorized squash as a “granny veggie”? But I am telling you, don’t categorize this delicious and nutritious vegetable the way I did! There are so many types of squash out there from kabocha, spaghetti, delicata, acorn, butternut, pumpkin, to summer squash. You may not enjoy all of them, but I imagine you may like at least one.
How are you supposed to eat a gourd?!
Depending on how you cook your squash, will determine its flavor. The hardest part about cooking squash can be the peeling of the flesh - but even that is pretty easy once you have an idea on what to do. Regardless, these veggies are bursting with excellent sources of nutrition! They are loaded with fiber, potassium, vitamin c, folate, magnesium, iron, and calcium!
When I was a kid, squash was mostly boiled or mashed. I do not recall it looking fancy, or even containing any spices or seasoning when cooked. Now, as a parent, I try to find ways to make nutritional food seem appealing and even appetizing. The biggest trick I learned over the years is to have your kid, or whomever you are eating with, help with the cooking process. There is some sort of pride in eating the food you created.
Seriously, a meal or snack with squash can be put together with little to no effort! With the help from the Off The Muck weekly produce delivery, my freshly picked produce is delivered to my front door with just a simple tap of my phone. When it comes to cooking, you can do something as simple as cutting the squash in half (honey nut for example), remove the seeds, drizzle olive oil, and oven roast it on a sheet pan for 20 minutes or so. Down below are some of my favorite dishes I made just this past month!
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