Seasonal Squash

Fall means school's in, leaves are down, and it's time to crank the oven back on. Today, Little Lettice's Sara Cabot shares some easy ideas for how to prepare butternut squash for the whole family:

"Now that the local butternut squash is here, we need look no further for a wholesome, delicious, and nutritious vegetable to grace our table. And how much better the local gourds taste than those shipped over from the West coast. Farmers’ markets are full of all kinds of winter squashes, all of them pretty similar in terms of nutrition. I like the butternut as it is large (good for large families like mine), easy to peel, and tasty.
Why is squash so good for us?
Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), and a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese.

First food for baby
Butternut squash makes a perfect first food for your baby when s/he starts solids at around 6 months. It’s soft, smooth, and sweet – an instant hit! It’s also a lovely orange color which is attractive to baby.

Butternut squash puree

Take one large butternut squash and slice it lengthways. Then cut each piece horizontally (this makes it easier for peeling).

Scoop out the seeds.

Carefully use a knife to cut away the hard skin of the squash (a peeler doesn’t take enough peel off.

Cut into dice size pieces about 1” square.

Place the squash pieces in a vegetable steamer over a pan of boiling water and cover with a lid. Steam for about 10 minutes or until soft and slightly translucent.

Puree in a food processor or press through a food mill or sieve. Serve lukewarm and freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray.

*Note: The squash puree will be quite thick so you may have to thin it down with breast milk or formula when you feed to your baby.

The most delicious and easy butternut squash dish for grown ups ever!
All you need is:

1 butternut squash

1 cup dolce latte or gorgonzola cheese

butter

salt and pepper

fresh thyme – 2-3 sprigs

1. Heat your oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Cut squash lengthways and scoop out seeds. Butter an ovenproof dish and lay squash skin side down. Smear squash flesh with butter, sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

3. Place dish in oven and bake until soft but not too much so (about 40 minutes)

4. Remove dish from oven and put a generous dollop of cheese in the seed cavity followed by a sprig of thyme. Replace in the oven and cook until cheese has melted and squash is really soft.

This dish can be served a few ways:

Lunchtime main dish accompanied by crusty bread and an arugula salad

Supper accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken

Vegetarian supper dish served with brown rice and some steamed broccoli or spinach"

Click here for a printable PDF of this article.