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Squash Vegetables - Healthy Veggies For Soups Stews & Side Dishes

Squash is a very ancient vegetable which was used long ago as a crucial part of Indian diet and is still a very nutritious and popular vegetable used today not only for eating but common as a decoration during the fall. Unfortunately many people find themselves stumped on how to cook them or incorporate them into the meal. People also tend to lean toward the most common squash such as butternut or acorn not realizing that you can use many other squash types including making use of pumpkin for more than just deserts. Butternut and acorn squash choices are some of the fullest in color and flavor with a mild sweetness. As the squash varieties get lighter in color they are usually a little blander but not lacking in nutrients although highly useful for when you want a hearty veggie without an overpowering flavor to include in a signature dish.

Of course you would not want to use a pumpkin which has housed a candle due to possible toxins but those pumpkins used as decoration while still whole preserve well outdoors and can be used in meals once the holiday is passed.

Vegetarians tend to be a bit more ‘squash savvy’ and one unique example is how you can use this vegetable for a non grain vegan version of spaghetti. Versatile and super tasty, squash makes good risotto, soup, stews or side dishes on their own. Some squash are starchier while others are can vary in color and flavor vibrancy among the different plant strains. You can pick the squash type according to how much presence you want it to have in your dish. An acorn squash will be very outstanding where as some spaghetti squash would be less tasty and not as brightly colored hence complimenting the dish quietly.

The shape of the spaghetti squash innards’ add to the ability of creativity in cooking. You can use this squash just for its unique stringy character especially for under main entrees. You do want to consider using some spice so that the squash does not overpower the entree with its creamy smoothness. The flavor can be too rich so breaking it with oregano and fresh cracked pepper is one way to bring a balance. I also like to thicken up soups with a few spoons of spaghetti squash.

A really neat trick to make your mashed tubers fit into the fall holidays is to add some butternut squash into your potato dish. Mashed potato with squash can scoop out into cute little orange pumpkin rounds which you can decorate with celery or broccoli stalk for the top stem, and peppercorns for the face making your Halloween or thanksgiving dinner a little more exciting. Using the shell of small pumpkins and gourds filled with squash cubes or mashed squash is another nifty option. You know the kids will dig in! Adults also enjoy the effort and appreciate the change to the norm.

So don’t be afraid to pick up a variety of these vegetables to add to your meals this fall and winter. They are wholesome and will add some wonderful benefit to your diet.

By Linda Cusmano