Warm Up With Winter Squash
We love welcoming the winter months with roasted squash side dishes and warm soups. 
While many enjoy nutrient-rich squash year-round, most agree that fall and wintertime are the perfect seasons to enjoy squash varieties like acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and turban. Donning a thick exterior shell (rind), winter squash varieties are harvested in autumn when the fruit and seeds have fully matured. In addition to containing a delicious interior flesh, winter squash varieties are packed with potassium, fiber, and vitamins A, B, C, and K. These minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants make squash a nutritious choice for immunity, digestion, and healthy skin.
Visit your local market to browse an array of squash with different gourd shapes and vibrant colors. Various types of winter squash may be substituted for one another in most squash recipes. 
One foolproof way to enjoy squash is roasting it. For butternut squash, simply cut off the hard rind then slice the orange flesh into cubes. Place cubes in a mixing bowl, add a light drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, and toss to coat the cubes. Next, arrange cubes on a flat baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes (until squash is tender). This makes a terrific side dish, but you can also puree the roasted squash cubes and add the puree to soups or hummus spreads. No matter how you serve squash, your diners will be delighted.
Do you have a creative way to cook winter squash? Let us know via our Twitter or Facebook page. We strive to help our readers eat well, live long, and travel far!