The Essential Fall Squash: Delicata

First of all, Squash season is my favorite.

Squash is so delicious, nutritious, grounding, easy to cook, and gentle on digestion. I love working it into my diet in allll the ways.

Some of my favorite ways to enjoy squash:

• Soup: smooth & creamy or in a stew

• With eggs for breakfast (plus kimchi, yum!!)

• In a warm salad with goat cheese

• Simply roasted as a side dish

• Savory Crostata w/ goat cheese

• With Greek Yogurt as a snack

• Topped with nutbutter as a snack or dessert

Clearly squash is very versatile.

Now, there are many varieties of squash, but there is one I consider essential because of how simple it is to roast. The skin does not need to be peeled, and within 30 minutes you will have a delicious, caramelized squash.

Hello, Delicata.

The delicious, delicate squash.

Here's how to prepare it:

Step 1

Go to your local farmers market if you can and pick up a couple of delicata. This is a fairly common squash variety alongside Butternut.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 400°F

Step 3

Clean your squash if you wish, cut off the butts, then cut the squash longways. The skin is totally edible so there's no need to peel.

Step 4

Scoop out the seeds and fibrous flesh. I haven't personally tried roasting the seeds. I usually put them into compost.

Step 5

Slice each half into slices, right around 1/2-inch think. The spread out all the slices on a baking sheet and toss with oil or melted butter. Sprinkle with salt.

Step 6

Place baking sheet in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Oven times vary, so don't be afraid to check on them.

The goal is to roast the insides and release all the natural sugars while caramelizing the outsides (trying not to burn them). If you find they are burning, lower the oven temp so the insides can get fully cooked.

Once both sides look golden brown, give one a try to see if its to your liking.

Finally, you can season them additionally with salt and pepper to taste. They don't take long to cool, so enjoy!

And if you have any questions, feel free to give me a call on the Squash line!

xo,

Jen