Cooking Squash Easy Simple And Healthy

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In the squash family you have three distinct fruits, melons, cucumbers and summer and winter squashes.

Winter squash has been domesticated in the Americas from about 5000 BCE. They are nutritious and versatile. In addition, to roasting or baking the flesh of most varieties is firm enough to saute or stew. Once they are cooked they can be mashed or pureed for soups. Their neutral flavor makes them suitable for both sweet and savory dishes.

Summer squashes are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are patty-pan, zucchini, crookneck, acorn, and a myriad variety of Asian and Middle Eastern types. The characteristic trait that most share in common is that their flesh cooks very quickly.

Squash recipes are great for turning into vegetarian or vegan dishes. This recipe contains no animal products whatsoever.

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Baked Stuffed Pumpkin

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Split the pumpkin in half, vertically.

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Remove the seeds and stringy membrane. Remember those "grapefruit" spoons from the seventies? They work really really well for this task.

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Roast the pumpkin cut side down, on a parchment lined sheet pan, in a 350 oven, until a knife inserted through the flesh has no resistance, about 45 minutes to an hour.

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The pumpkin should be tender to the touch. Remove and cool until it can be handled comfortably.

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Any good stuffing begins with aromatic vegetables. Start by fine dicing the onions, celery and garlic.

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Add enough olive oil to a 10 or 12-inch saute pan to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Sweat the onions, celery, and garlic over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent. Remove from heat.

Add the breadcrumbs, brown rice and ginger. Season to taste with salt and cracked pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.

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When the pumpkin has cooled divide the stuffing between the two halves. You should have enough stuffing to create a slight mound over the top of the pumpkin. Bake in a 350 oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

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Cooking squash is incredibly easy and it's a great vegetable to cook because it is very forgiving.

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Cooking Squash So Simple Anyone Can Do It

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• Yield: 2 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1-1/2 hours

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Ingredients

• 1 pumpkin, or any squash suitable for stuffing
• EVO to coat pan
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 4 medium stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup bread crumbs, toasted
• 1-1/2 cups brown rice, cooked - See Recipe
  
• 3/4 teaspoons ginger powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

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Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Split pumpkin in half. Remove the seeds and stringy membrane.
3. Roast the pumpkin cut side down, on a parchment lined sheet pan, in a 350 oven, until a knife inserted through the flesh has no resistence, about 45 minutes to an hour. The pumpkin should be tender to the touch. Remove and cool until it can be handled comfortably.
4. Meanwhile add enough olive oil to a 10 inch saute pan to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Sweat the onions, celery, and garlic over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent. Remove from heat.
5. Add the breadcrumbs, brown rice and ginger. Season to taste with salt and cracked pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.
6. When the pumpkin has cooled divide the stuffing between the two halves. You should have enough stuffing to create a slight mound over the top of the pumpkin.
7. Bake in a 350 oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the stuffing is hot through. Serve immediately.

Tags: cooking squash, stuffed squash recipe, baked stuffed pumpkin

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