Squash is pretty much synonymous with fall in my house. Typically, during September we are up to our eyeballs in a bounty of harvest from our garden. Every countertop is stacked with squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, and beets. It’s a wonderful and busy time of year. To save time, I stick to simple but tasty recipes.
Image courtesy of Mean Miss Mustard
One of my favorite squashes is the butternut. Butternut squash is a yellow-orange fleshed fruit that has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. This beautiful fall/winter squash offers a nutrient punch that is just what we need at the season’s change. Butternut squash is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, and B-6.

One of the easiest ways to prepare this winter squash is to roast it and here I bring you my super simplified recipe. Winter squashes of all sorts will burst with flavor when roasted and all follow a similar preparation.

For this recipe you will need:

• 1 butternut squash
• approx. 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• optional: grass-fed butter

Simply:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut off stem side, just about an inch or two into the top side of squash. Discard this piece.
3. Next, cut the squash in half, lengthwise.
4. Scrape out the seeds and set aside.
5. Lightly brush the cut flesh with extra virgin olive oil.
6. Place cut side down on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 35 minutes or until squash is tender.

Spoon out onto individual plates, season with salt and pepper and add a bit of grass-fed butter if you wish.

A large squash will serve 4 as a side dish.

Other winter squash you might try preparing this way are pumpkin, acorn, and delicata.

Butternut Squash Is Good For…

Eating as a side dish cubed or mashed, as a soup, as an addition to baked goods, as a stuffed main dish. Try mixing butternut squash with other vegetables, grains, pasta, or quinoa.

Nutrition Composition of Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is high in fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, carotenoids (especially beta-carotene), vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, magnesium, and manganese.

Nutrition Facts for 1 Cup

Calories: 1 cup	82
Total Fat:	0 g	0%
Saturated Fat:	0 g	0%
Trans Fat:	~
Cholesterol:	0g	0%
Sodium:	492 mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate:	22 g	7%
Dietary Fiber:	0%
Sugars:	4 g
Starch:
Protein:	1.8g	4%
Vitamins
Vitamin A	22869 IU	457%
Vitamin C	31.0 mg	52%
Vitamin D	~	~
Vitamin E	2.6 mg	13 %
Vitamin K	2.1 mcg	3%
Thiamin	0.1 mg	10%
Riboflavin	0.0 mg	2%
Niacin	2.0 mg	10%
Vitamin B6	0.3 mg	13%
Folate	38.9 mcg	10%
Vitamin B12	0.0 mcg	0%
Pantothenic Acid	0.7 mg	7%
Choline	~
Betaine	~
Minerals
Calcium	84.0 mg	8%
Iron	1.2 mg	7%
Magnesium	59.4 mg	15%
Phosphorus	55.4 mg	6%
Potassium	582 mg	17%
Sodium	492 mg	20%
Zinc	0.3 mg	2%
Copper	0.1 mg	7%
Manganese	0.4 mg	18%
Selenium	1.0 mcg	1%
Fluoride	~
Glycemic	Load 8

Natural Remedies and Prevention with Butternut Squash

The high fiber content if butternut squash is a prebiotic that supports healthy bacteria in the gut and promotes regularity. High fiber helps to manage blood sugar, reduce inflammation and diseases associated with inflammation (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity), and increased immune function. Beta-carotene, that the body turns into vitamin A, helps prevent colon cancer and asthma and helps maintain healthy eyes, hair, and skin, as it boosts immunity along with vitamin C. Its potassium content helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and overall health.

Things You Didn’t Know About Fruit

Technically, butternut squash is a fruit as its seeds are inside. This is true of all members of the gourd family, which includes winter squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons. Butternut squash is the most widely grown winter squash in the United States.

How to Store Butternut Squash So It Lasts Longer

Do not store whole butternut squash in the refrigerator. Store in a cool, dry, place for 1-3 months.

How to Pick Good Fruit

Choose firm, unblemished squash with a matte finish. Avoid shiny skin; it is a sign that it was picked too early.

Recipes

Squash Ginger Soup from Healing the Body

 Ingredients:

• 1-2 tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 acorn or butternut squash, skinned and chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• Large piece of ginger root (3 inches long)
• Water to cover
• Sea salt to taste

Directions:

In a large pot…

• Sauté carrots, onions, celery, and garlic in coconut oil
• Add squash and ginger
• Cover with water
• Simmer for 30 minutes
• Puree and adjust water to desired consistency
• Add sea salt and simmer for 10 more minutes

Or try this Curried Butternut Squash Soup from Healing the Body.

Further Reading:

 

Sources:

Power Foods: Butternut Squash – Whole Living

What Are the Health Benefits of Butternut Squash? – Medical News Today