Squash

[SylviaUK]

I've been re-vamping my menus to add a little variety - guess there's only so much broccoli and cauliflower a girl can eat without getting bored ;) - so yesterday I bought a squash. Question is, what do I do with it? :)

Do I boil it and mash it, slice it and fry it, bake it in its skin? I don't think I've ever eaten squash before, let alone cooked it myself :blush:

[LadyBelle]

what kind of squash?

Some is lower carb and some can be really high carb so it's important to check that.

Spaghetti squash has a ton of recipies on here. Butternut squash is higher in carbs, but tastes great roasted in oven with butter and sf maple syrup, then mashed

You can also make squash soups and such

[SylviaUK]

Thanks for replying, LadyBelle.

As to what kind of squash, well it's green and looks rather like an over-sized courgette :(. The only reason I know it's a squash is that the label on the counter said so :o

I guess I should play safe and either turn it into soup or boil and mash it.

what kind of squash?

Some is lower carb and some can be really high carb so it's important to check that.

Spaghetti squash has a ton of recipies on here. Butternut squash is higher in carbs, but tastes great roasted in oven with butter and sf maple syrup, then mashed

You can also make squash soups and such

[joanee]

As to what kind of squash, well it's green and looks rather like an over-sized courgette :(. The only reason I know it's a squash is that the label on the counter said so :o I guess I should play safe and either turn it into soup or boil and mash it

Lots of stuff to do with squash; it's a low carber's true friend, because it can be bland on its own, so it picks up flavors easily.

If your squash is very firm, you can make it sweet, spice it up like apple pie or apple sauce, and use it exactly the way you'd use cooked apples. If it is not as firm, or gets mushy when you cook it, then just spice it like pumpkin pie (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger), and use it to make pumpkin or sweet potato desserts (squash pies, e.g.)

Cooked spaghetti squash plus DaVinci SF Pineapple syrup makes great pineapples for pineapple upside-down cake, or anywhere else you'd use pineapples. (Mix it the spaghetti squash with SF pineapple syrup and just a little fresh pineapple, and you'd swear you never knew the difference one from the other!)

You can also make it savory: squash has a natural affinity for onions, so saute them with onions in butter or olive oil -- done this way, it's a terrific side dish with pork chops or tenderloins.

If they really are like courgettes, then they are great just cut up and used as crudites in thick dressings (blue cheese, ranch, creamy italian, etc.), or straight into salads.

You're right about squash soup being delicious -- just don't forget the 1/4 cup of dry sherry poured into the soup, or a couple of Tbs of sherry mixed into unsweetened whipped cream, and dolloped on top of the bowl of soup.

Squash also takes to nutmeg as a flavoring in savory dishes. You can make a butter or cheese sauce, flavored with nutmeg, and baked into a squash casserole. (Think Potatoes Anna or scalloped potatoes, using squash instead).

Bland squash can fill out your tomato-based Italian sauces, so you don't have to use so much tomato, thereby cutting carbs. And of course, spaghetti squash really does go great with spaghetti sauce. Don't overcook it -- keep it a al dente.

Squash is a natural with pork; try it sauteed with thick-sliced bacon. Use your Brown Sugar Twin and onions for a caramelized flavor!

HTH.

[SylviaUK]

Thanks, joanee, that really does help :)

I made soup this time - which worked well - but now you've given me loads of inspiration I think I'll buy another squash on Saturday :D

[joanee]

Plus: there are tons of zucchini bread recipes out there. This one, from Sharron Long's "Extreme Low Carb Cuisine" is one of those never-fail, truly delicious versions:

1 c almonds, ground to almond flour
1/2 cup soy protein isolate (not soy flour!)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg (I also add ginger and cloves)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt (regular works fine)
1 TBS Stevia Plus (or the equivalent in Splenda, which is 1/2 cup)
2 tsp Sweet & Slender (another 1/2 c Splenda)
1/2 c broken pecans
1 c unpeeled, shredded zucchini (1/2 large zucchini)
1 egg
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 tsp lemon or orange zest (1 tsp lemon or orange extract)
cooking oil spray, or butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and, in a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Pour the wet into the dry, and stir until just combined. Pour mixture into sprayed or buttered 8" x 4" x 2" loaf pan. Recipe says bake at 350 deg. for 40-50 minutes, but that's way too long, in my experience with this recipe. I check at 20 minutes, and continue in 2-minute increments thereafter, using the "it's done when an inserted knife comes out clean" test. I've made this maybe a dozen times, and it's just great. Good with cream cheese frosting, or toasted with a schmear of butter, or just plain.