Oh My Gourd (OMG)! Super Easy Roasted Butternut Squash

After such a sizzling summer here in Texas, I am really getting into fall festivity.   The weather here is slowly getting cooler and it feels great! I just love going to the market this time of year and seeing all the gourds so beautifully displayed.  The warm colors remind me of the colors of the changing leaves.  Displaying gourds are such an easy way to add to fall to your home décor;  you can put them in nice bowls as a centerpiece for your dinner parties and warm up the room.  When we think of edible gourds, we commonly think of our famous pumpkin.  But zucchini, squash and some melons also get categorized in the gourd family since they fall in the same plant species.  The orange colored varieties like pumpkin, acorn and squash are high in beta carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant. They are also rich in fiber, potassium and vitamin C.

Roasting butternut squash is super easy,
and can be a great fall complement to
your family dinners. 

Butternut squash is a tasty choice that children have a tendency to like because of its mild taste.  There are a lot of great recipes for butternut squash, but they can be very easy to prepare without a recipe.  For a nice roasted taste, all you have to do is cut one butternut squash in half horizontally and put face up on a baking sheet lined with tin foil.  Scoop out the seeds (you can wash and roast them with a pinch of salt..they are edible!).  Brush the squash with margarine, sprinkle with sea salt and a dash of brown sugar.  Roast it in the oven at 375 for 45-60 minutes until the squash is tender enough to cut with a butter knife.  Cut it up into small squares and serve as a side dish, or if you have more time, add it to some cooked quinoa pine nuts, sautéed onion and your favorite spices for a great flavor combination.  If you want to serve it with an interesting flair, present the roasted squash in-tact and stuff the area where the seeds were with other colorful roasted vegetables.

Take advantage of the great fall vegetables to add a nice, seasonal taste to your family dinners.  Food variety is best for overall nutrition and it also exposes your children to more flavors.  It doesn’t have to be complicated.  What’s your favorite easy, but tasty fall recipe?  I’d love to hear from you!