Wash the butternut squash. Cut in half and remove the seeds and fibers. (For an extra treat, you can save the seeds, wash them, add a little salt or cinnamon and sugar, and toast in your oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Place squash pieces on a cookie sheet. Optional: line the cookie sheet with foil for asier clean-up. There are two methods to bake squash – try both to see which you prefer
Rub squash with a little olive oil and bake uncovered to get a roasted flavor and some browned, caramelized sections.
Add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan and cover with foil. This method results in moister steamed squash. Whichever way you use, check for tenderness with a fork after about 45 minutes.
Squash cooks quicker in the microwave than in the oven.
Cut the butternut squash into individual pieces.
Arrange in a microwave-safe dish.
Cover with plastic wrap—Cook three to four and a half minutes per piece.
After 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, rotate the dish so that the squash cooks evenly. Continue cooking.
Remove from microwave, let it sit, covered, for five minutes.
Butternut squash is high in B vitamins, manganese, and potassium. As a vegetable with orange flesh, butternut squash is high in beta-carotene and is a good fiber source with 7 grams of fiber per cup.
Try the following recipes for a flavorful and nutritional boost to your diet. You will find these recipes use everyday ingredients found in your pantry, so give these butternut squash recipes a try!
This recipe is an excellent way to get kids to eat this vegetable. These crispy fries are perfect for dipping.
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 425 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Peel skin from butternut squash and cut into even sticks, about 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. In a medium bowl, combine the squash, oil, thyme, rosemary, and salt; mix until the squash is evenly coated.
Spread onto the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and shake to loosen the squash. Place back in the oven and continue to roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
62 calories | 0 grams saturated fat | 168 milligrams sodium | 11 grams total carbohydrates | 3 grams dietary fiber | 2 grams total sugars | 1 gram protein | 2 grams total fat