Our Harvest Home markets are overflowing with different kinds of squash, all of them packed with those little essential vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. Yellow summer squash, zucchini, stripped delicata, round acorn, butternut, spaghetti squash: See all the varieties: (https://www.myrecipes.com/ingredients/types-of-squash). Squash has a creamy texture and a luscious, nutty flavor with just a hint of sweetness. All of them are low in calories! So many ways to add new tastes to your cooking: bake them whole or roast them sliced; add chunks to soup or stews; mash them up and season for a new side dish or see our favorite below: surprising Spaghetti Squash!!

Squash helps your body run smoothly. It's especially good if you are diabetic because it's packed with B-complex vitamins and fiber with pectin - both essential elements in regulating blood sugar. Squash contains vitamin A which is great for eye and lung health; it helps strengthen bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Now you know why people have been growing and enjoying squash for over 10,000 years!

An easy, smooth, and creamy family-pleasing dish: Cut any variety of hard-skinned squash in half, remove the seeds, add a bit of butter and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes or until it's fork-tender. (NOTE: Add about an inch of water to the pan to keep it moist.)

Make it your way. Dress it up with a tablespoon or two of honey; add a couple dashes of cinnamon; mash up with cooked carrots or parsnips; stir in some orange juice; sprinkle in a little curry. What you can do is limited only by your imagination and your family's taste.

Try a new "spaghetti"...squash! These dishes will make your mouth water and your body happy and healthy. Enjoy!

RECIPES: Spaghetti Squash

Use like pasta. Great by itself with a bit of seasoning or as the basis of a whole meal. Only 25% of the calories in pasta!

PREPARATION:

• Place the whole spaghetti squash on a pan in the oven 350 degrees. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until a fork easily goes through the skin. Let cool enough to pick up. Cut the squash in half length-wise. Use two forks to pull apart spaghetti squash flesh into fine noodle-like strings.

• Just use your favorite spaghetti sauce.

Spaghetti Squash Enchiladas Bowls:
For a heartier, festive meal.

• Cut the squash in half and bake upside down in a greased pan for 40 minutes at 425°.

• Cut off some of the bottom so the squash will sit flat. Remove the seeds.

• Loosen the spaghetti squash with a fork.

• Add the enchilada sauce. Use your own or try this:

Spaghetti Squash Enchilada

• 1 cup onion chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup corn

• 1 red pepper

• 1-2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño

• 1 cup cooked black beans

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

• ¼ cup cilantro

Cook onion in olive oil until soft. Add jalapeño, corn and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, beans, spices and salt. Bring to a simmer and turn off. Add cilantro.

TIPS: Handling Squash

STORAGE:

• Summer squash goes in the frig. Zucchini and yellow squash will last about a week.

• Winter squash stays on the counter, not in the frig: Acorn is good for a month; Butternut for 2-3 months; Calabaza for about 1 month; Delicata and Spaghetti for about 2 months. Keep in the coolest part of the kitchen and check for soft spots.

CUBING SQUASH

• Using a heavy knife, cut off ¼ inch at both ends.

• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.

• Cube and add to stews or soups or roast.

SAVE SQUASH SEEDS for a delicious snack:

• Clean off the squash strings. Rinse and dry.

• Mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil and seasoning

• Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

SEASONING SUGGESTIONS:

• Savory: Dash of garlic salt and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.

• Sweet: ½ teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 1 ½ teaspoon sugar

COMBOS TO TRY: 

• Roast Delicata Squash without removing a skin. Cut into 1" slices. Mix with sliced red onions, garlic, a tablespoon of maple syrup, a tablespoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of thyme. Bake for 20-25 minutes in 350 oven or until squash is tender.

• For a taste of the islands try Calabaza (West Indian Pumpkin) and rice: https://thatgirlcookshealthy.com/pumpkin-rice/

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