How To Cook SquashSquash Cooking Tips

Most people are addicted to carbohydrate foods such as pasta, instant noodles, and other food items. People are not able to distinguish between the healthy and avoidable foods. In this article, I’m going to share how to prepare delicious spaghetti squash. One can replenish their body by consuming vegetable squash everyday.

I recommend this recipe for diabetic or people who are trying to lose their weight effectively. Cooking Spaghetti squash is very easy to prepare. People use to prepare this recipe in different ways, and I’m going to share the recipe in my own way.

If you are following any diet program, you can add this recipe in your fitness plan. Make sure that you consult with your Gym fitness trainer regarding your diet plan.

Ingredients:

Spaghetti Squash – 1.
Virgin olive oil – 2-3 tablespoon (avoid butter or cheese, if you are following any diet plan)
Garlic- 4 cloves (crushed or minced)
Fresh herbs (basil, parsley, thyme, chives or sage, oregano) – 3 tbsp
Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes – 2 (finely chopped)
Onion – 1 diced.
Pepper and Salt – as per taste
Preparation Method:

1. First, you need to wash the spaghetti squash with the plain water, and have to cut the veggie in half. Remove the pulp and seeds, and put them in a dish. Place the dish in the microwave for 25 minutes.
2. Take a large pan and add one tbsp of olive oil, and saute the onions until it turns gold brown in color. Do not overcook the onions, and it should be transparent.
3. Add remaining veggies, herbs, and garlic, and saute them with a fork. Once they are cooked evenly, move the veggies, and add them to the cooked spaghetti squash.
4. Now you can decorate with spices or herbs. I sprinkled with nuts as toppings.
To make it delightful and yummy recipes, you can prepare it with different toppings or combination of various ingredients.

Nothing says fall like a delicious winter squash. The tender orange flesh is so good when it is roasted covered with butter and brown sugar. It is hard to make on busy weeknights, however, because squash can take up to an hour to bake. Did you know that your crockpot cannot only cook you a nice roast while you are away, but it can also handle squash? It is true! You can have your delicious winter squash cooking merrily away while you are at work or running errands. Make a quick main dish to go with it and dinner is ready, complete with a great vegetable.

Remember that setting your crockpot to High generally cooks twice as fast as the Low setting. If you are going to be out all day, set it to Low so your food is not overdone. The general rule of thumb is that if a food takes 8 hours to cook on Low, it will be done in 4 hours on High. For most slow cookers, Low is approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit, while High is about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Your particular model may vary slightly. Try to resist the temptation to lift the lid. Each time you do, it adds 20 minutes to your cooking time. Crockpots can be used for many types of dishes like this. You can also use them for desserts and even for baking. There is a lot more to crockpots than meets the eye.

You can use other types of winter squash in this recipe if you do not have butternut. Acorn, Hubbard and many other varieties of winter squash all taste great in this recipe. If you really want to jazz it up a bit, put some bacon in there with the squash. Using your crockpot is also a great way to prepare squash on Thanksgiving while the oven is otherwise occupied. You can always jazz up your squash by adding some carrots, parsnips, and rutabagas so you can make a true winter vegetable medley. Make the most of your crockpot and use it for more than just stews and main dishes!

Recipe for Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

This is a simple way to get tender, delicious squash.

What You Need

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 cup apple juice
• 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

How to Make It

Cut the butternut squash into quarters lengthwise. Cut off the stem and scoop out the seeds.

Pour apple juice into your crockpot.

Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Place two quarters of the squash in the bottom of the crockpot. Drizzle half of your butter mixture over the squash.

Set the remaining two quarters of squash on top of the first two crosswise. Drizzle with the remaining butter mixture.

Cover and cook on the Low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Squash should be tender when done.

Serves 4.

Only the best crockpot recipes will be made over and over again. Learning to make the most of crockpot recipes will make your time in the kitchen more productive. You will have more time for the things that truly matter.

The Best Crockpot Recipes Start With Our Recipes – BestCrockpotRecipes.net

It is possible in the fall that you have more summer squash lying around than you know what to do with, especially if you have been growing your own or if well-meaning family members, friends, or neighbors have been growing it. Grilling squash is a great way to bring out its amazing flavor and you can season young squash with herbs and olive oil for a healthy and mouthwatering side dish.

If you like to make grilled fresh vegetables, you will find squash great for grilling. The best squash for grilling is one that is heavy, richly colored, and free of blemishes and bruises. Crookneck squash, zucchini, patty pan, and other kinds of summer squash should all be bright colored. Turban squash, spaghetti squash, Hubbard, butternut, and other kinds of winter squash should be deep colored and have a tough skin.

Preparing the Squash for the Grill

Cut your squash down the middle, ensuring that the pieces are not too thick else, they will take too long to cook. Keep the pieces evenly sized. You might need to cut a winter squash or big squash into three or four pieces.

Clean out the stringy part and seeds and rinse the squash pieces. Mix some olive oil with fresh herbs. Basil, oregano and cilantro work well and you should chop them finely.
Brush the herby olive oil over the exposed squash flesh and put the squash directly on the grill, over a moderate to high heat.

Cooking the Squash to Perfection

It is nice to get grill marks on the squash but watch it so that it does not burn. Because squash has a concave shape, this will help to steam the inside and trap moisture. You can also cut the squash into smaller pieces or combine it with other vegetables to make a grilled vegetables recipe.

If you want to wrap chopped vegetables in foil packages, you should grill these on the side of the fire or on an upper rack, turning them every few minutes so they cook evenly. You can also thread squash on to kabobs and cook them on there. When making grilled vegetables kabobs, use ingredients with similar cooking times so you do not end up with some undercooked pieces and some overcooked ones.

Recipe for Grilled Summer Squash with Fresh Oregano

This recipe makes enough grilled squash to serve four people. The oregano gives it a beautiful flavor and this is a very easy recipe if you like grilled fresh vegetables.

What you will need:

• 4 young summer squash (zucchini, patty pan, or yellow squash)
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

How to make it: 

Split the squash in half lengthwise. Brush the olive oil over both sides and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Grill the squash over a moderate heat, turning it often. Cook for about seven minutes or until tender. Sprinkle the chopped oregano over the squash and serve it hot.

Squash is rich in nutrients and the smoky flavor from a grill means that you can make a quick squash side dish that the whole family will love. If you enjoy healthy grilled vegetables recipes, squash is a great ingredient. You can cook squash by itself or combine it with other vegetables to make delicious grilled fresh vegetables.

GrilledVegetableRecipe.com – The Veggie Side of Grilling

I love acorn squash, probably because they are healthy, delicious and easy to prepare. (A winning combination if there ever was one.)

If you have wondered how to cook acorn squash, here’s all you need to do:

• Cut them in half around the middle.
• Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Put a bit of butter in each cavity or brush them with olive oil.
• Put them in a baking dish cut side up or down.
• Bake at 350 – 400 degrees until tender, 35 to 50 minutes, depending on size of squash and oven temperature.

That’s all there is to it; the simplest acorn squash recipe ever. If you want something fancier there are lots of ways to sweeten and spice up baked acorn squash. Here are a couple of favorites:

Glazed Baked Acorn Squash: Just before serving, sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle with maple syrup and bake for a few minutes until the sugar melts.

Spiced Baked Acorn Squash: For 2 squash, combine 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Brush the insides of the squash with mixture and bake cut side down until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Stuffing squash is a great way to turn this delicious vegetable into a meal. Here are some favorite recipes for stuffed squash:

Stuffed Squash Recipes

Each recipe makes enough stuffing for 2-3 large baked acorn squash.

Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tart apples, diced
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation

To make the stuffing, combine and then fill cavities of partially baked squash. Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Apple Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bulk sausage
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 apple, diced
• 2 cups toasted bread cubes
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation

To make the stuffing put sausage in a large skillet set over medium heat and cook until browned. Add onion and apple and cook, stirring often, until tender. Remove skillet from heat. Add remaining ingredients. Stuff into cooked squash and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Fruit and Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

You can use any kind of rice you like for this recipe. I like to use a wild rice blend.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice of your choice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Preparation

To make the stuffing, put 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, shallot and apples and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the thyme, sage and cranberries and cook for 2 minutes more. Add 2 tablespoons water to the pan and stir well.

In a large bowl, combine the vegetable-apple mixture with the rice and season to taste with salt. Scoop into cooked squash and enjoy.

Southwest Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bulk turkey sausage
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preparation

To make the stuffing, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.

When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325. Fill the squash halves with the turkey stuffing mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Martha is a healthy weight loss coach, cooking coach and cookie lover, who loves to share ways to make cooking and eating simple, easy and delicious and help you stop dieting and instead discover the pleasure of happy healthy balanced eating, cooking and living. Her websites include http://www.simple-nourished-living.com andhttp://www.besteasycookierecipes.com Visit today to Get your FREE copy of her Homemade Granola Bars e-cookbooklet.

Winter squash is an excellent winter food. And there are many varieties of winter squash to experiment with. They will keep through most of the winter in a cool dry place, so stock up on several and have them with your meals throughout the winter.

Varieties of squash commonly available in the store are butternut, acorn, Hubbard, turban, Delicata, Sweet Dumpling, and the pumpkin.

Winter squash is packed full of beta-carotene. This nutrient helps prevent cancer. In fact the beta-carotene is great for those who smoke, those who are around secondhand smoke or for those who spend a lot of time indoors.

Here are 2 ways to cook winter squash that are easy and simple. After the squash is tender you can just mash it up and eat it with butter and sea salt, or use in any of your favorite recipes. Squash and pumpkin can be substituted for each other, so if you are out of pumpkin for that pie, bake up a squash and use it instead.

How to Boil Squash: Cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers. Peel off the skin. Cut the flesh in pieces or chunks and put in a pan with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, usually around 30 minutes or so.

You can also bake the squash. Cut the squash in half and lay flesh side down in a baking dish. Add about 1″ of water in the pan and put it in a 400° oven until and bake until tender, about an hour. You can also cut the squash in chunks, peel them and then put then in the baking dish with water.

Ways to use the cooked squash are pureed in a soup, or mashed with butter and maple syrup with cinnamon and nutmeg. Or even a squash pie! Don’t let those squashes just sit on the grocery store shelf. Make a healthy choice this winter to boost your immune system.

©2009 Shanna Ohmes

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The meat of the butternut squash is a deep, blazing orange with a dense, satisfying texture once cooked and a flavor similar to a sweet potato. Along with its other virtues – reasonable price, good availability, long-keeping quality, and versatility – it is also an excellent source of beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin C. Packed with lots of fiber and low in fat and sodium, squash are also ideal for heart healthy, anti-cancer, and weight-loss diets. You’ll find butternut squash on sale year-round, but it’s season generally runs from August through March.

Butternut squash is among the winter varieties of squash that includes butternut, acorn, Hubbard, and spaghetti squash. While the different varieties differ in taste and texture they all have a fairly mild flavor. For that reason, one variety can often be substituted for another in a recipe to obtain a subtle change.

Choosing and Storing Butternut Squash

When looking for butternut squash at the grocer’s, look for one with a long “neck” and a relatively small bottom. The neck portion contains solid meat without any seeds, making it easy to cut up. The bottom end contains the seed cavity and is surrounded by flesh that is softer in texture with noticeable strings. The exterior should be dry, uniformly hard, and free of gashes, mold, or soft spots. Choose specimens that appear to be heavy for their size. Butternut squash need careful handling despite their tough exterior because they will bruise if roughly handled.

For storage, butternut squash can be kept in a cool, dry place with good air circulation. If conditions are good, they can keep all winter. About 55 degrees is ideal, but colder temperatures are not advised. The soft moist flesh surrounding the seedpod will deteriorate the soonest. If that area is mushy, you’ve stored your squash too long. However, the “neck” area will often still be firm and usable.

Butternut Squash Preparation

One of the few disadvantages of squash is that it can be difficult to peel. To eliminate this rather tedious step, some markets now stock pre-peeled butternut squash chunks. This can save a lot on preparation time, but you pay for the convenience. When inspecting the package, look for clean, moist surfaces. Refresh the squash by rinsing in cool water, even if it has been prewashed.

To peel a whole squash, cut off a thin slice from both the top and bottom end so it will stand upright. Cut in half where the narrow neck meets the round bottom so you have one easy to peel cylinder, plus the rounded section. Use a standard potato peeler or a paring knife to peel the hard exterior away. Remove the seeds and stringy portions. Cut into uniform size pieces. Alternatively, some recipes call for the squash to be roasted with the skin on. Once cooked, it’s easy to simply pull the flesh away from the hard shell-like skin or scoop out the flesh.

To Cook Butternut Squash

There are several ways to cook a butternut squash, but I’ve found that roasting in an oven is both the easiest way and yields the best flavor. Cut the squash lengthwise down the middle and remove the seeds. Place the squash on an ungreased baking dish. Sprinkle cut edges with salt and pepper. Dot with margarine or butter. Bake them cut sides up so you don’t steam them and lose the delicious nutty flavor for about 45 minutes on 375 degrees, or until tender.

After cooling, baked squash is a cinch to peel and can be used in any recipe that calls for cooked squash. Scoop out the flesh and mash or puree it in a food processor or blender. You can also freeze; or refrigerate leftovers for another occasion.

Tender, baked butternut squash is a fall and winter staple that lends itself to a wide variety of recipes. Traditionally used for soups and flavored breads, they are also perfect for cakes and pies, salads, fabulous side dishes, and as an invaluable ingredient in curries and souffles as well as rice, pasta, and couscous dishes. Try your hand with some of the hearty, butternut squash fare!

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