I may have just prepared butternut squash in the best way I've ever had it. Pretty exciting stuff.
I've never been a big fan of butternut squash soups. I think they're too much like the pureed pumpkin you get inside of pies. There's something about that sweetness, especially coupled with that monotonous texture, I just don't get.
I'm in general not a huge gourd fan. They're edible, but I don't spend all summer dreaming of pumpkin cookies in the fall. I ultimately decided to treat my butternut squash like my true favorite orange vegetable: sweet potato. I added a twist to the recipe by spicing it up a bit with some powdered ginger.
Much like sweet potatoes and pumpkins, butternut squash are extremely dense and, therefore, difficult to cut up raw. I've seen recipes where you can just grill butternut squash after cubing it, but that seemed like a task my knife set was not up for.
To soften up a butternut squash for use in a recipe, simply cut it in half and then take out the seeds and strands, just like a pumpkin.
Then I baked the squash, insides down, in a baking tray with some water to add some steam to the process. It took about an hour at 350 for the most center part of the halves to be soft to a fork's touch. Look for the same qualities you look for in a done baked potato.
For the recipe, you'll need:
butternut squash mash
butter (or butter substitute, I used SmartBalance with added Omega-3s)
salt
pepper
ginger
maple syrup
I took the cooked butternut squash halves and scooped out the innards into a bowl. Then I added the butter, or in this case a substitute. I did this all earlier in the day for preparation for dinner later on in the night.
When it came to reheating the mash, I put it in a pan sprayed with some canola oil just to ensure it didn't stick if it overheated. Then I added about a tablespoon of maple syrup, a teaspoon of ginger, and salt and pepper to taste.
The result was delicious, sweet but spicy because of the ginger. It would make a fantastic addition to any Thanksgiving or fall dinner. I'm glad to add another vegetable to my cooking repertoire.
I've never been a big fan of butternut squash soups. I think they're too much like the pureed pumpkin you get inside of pies. There's something about that sweetness, especially coupled with that monotonous texture, I just don't get.
I'm in general not a huge gourd fan. They're edible, but I don't spend all summer dreaming of pumpkin cookies in the fall. I ultimately decided to treat my butternut squash like my true favorite orange vegetable: sweet potato. I added a twist to the recipe by spicing it up a bit with some powdered ginger.
Much like sweet potatoes and pumpkins, butternut squash are extremely dense and, therefore, difficult to cut up raw. I've seen recipes where you can just grill butternut squash after cubing it, but that seemed like a task my knife set was not up for.
To soften up a butternut squash for use in a recipe, simply cut it in half and then take out the seeds and strands, just like a pumpkin.
Then I baked the squash, insides down, in a baking tray with some water to add some steam to the process. It took about an hour at 350 for the most center part of the halves to be soft to a fork's touch. Look for the same qualities you look for in a done baked potato.
For the recipe, you'll need:
butternut squash mash
butter (or butter substitute, I used SmartBalance with added Omega-3s)
salt
pepper
ginger
maple syrup
I took the cooked butternut squash halves and scooped out the innards into a bowl. Then I added the butter, or in this case a substitute. I did this all earlier in the day for preparation for dinner later on in the night.
When it came to reheating the mash, I put it in a pan sprayed with some canola oil just to ensure it didn't stick if it overheated. Then I added about a tablespoon of maple syrup, a teaspoon of ginger, and salt and pepper to taste.
The result was delicious, sweet but spicy because of the ginger. It would make a fantastic addition to any Thanksgiving or fall dinner. I'm glad to add another vegetable to my cooking repertoire.
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