October means changing leaves, cider, apples, and, most importantly for my Paleo Peeps, October means SQUASH. I used to turn my nose up at such a thought.
Then I started saying "yes" to life. Now, I see squash as opportunity.
The English word "squash" derives from askutasquash (a green thing eaten raw), a word from the Narragansett language, which was documented by Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, in his 1643 publication A Key Into the Language of America. (WIKI, WIKI, What!)
Squash is highly affordable and comes in different forms:
- Acorn Squash
- Butternut Squash
- Pumpkins (heirloom, traditional, etc.)
- Summer Squash
- Zuccinni
- Hubbard
- Spaghetti
- Name some others!
Best Place to Buy:
Local farmer's markets. 1/2 price of what you'd pay at Wal-Mart, Kroger, or any other chain.
In addition to being paleo-friendly, loaded with fiber and vitamins, squash also offer great value. One half of one acorn squash offers a heaping lump of mashed delciousness, twice the size of the normal serving of mashed potatoes.
Bonus Snack!
You also get a great snack too. Ever roast pumpkin seeds? Same deal. Don't throw away those seeds. Pick them apart, rub them down with some EVOO, some gluten-free seasoning, and throw in the oven at 375 degrees until they are nice and toasty-looking (less time for smaller seeds).
Carving pumpkins this Halloween?
Don't waste the insides! Once you separate the seeds, take all that stuff you'd normally throw away (or hopefully compost), add it to a pot of water, boil until fork-tender, and then puree while still warm in blender. Add EVOO and pepper to smooth out flavor.
Again, Paleo doesn't have to be expensive if you don't waste potential food.
Freezer
Have a large freezer? Squash freezes well if you cook it, puree it, and seal it in an airtight ziplock freezer bag. Make sure to lay flat while freezing to save space. Load up now and enjoy until next fall's crop.
An example recipe:
(I made this last night and can't wait to make again).
Roasted Acorn Squash
What you need:
1. Acorn Squash, cut in half
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
3. pinch sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
4. Foil lined baking sheet
5. Oven at 375
What you do:
Turn on oven and pre-heat to 375 and warm baking sheet in oven.
Cut the acorn in half, remove seeds (and save!), rub down exposed flesh with EVOO, dash with salt and pepper, and lay face down on warm baking sheet for 15-20 minutes or until the outter skin wrinkles and is soft to touch.
Remove and let cool a bit, then squeeze or spoon out insides. Add salt, pepper, or other seasonings to taste.
Okay...I'm going to go eat some squash now.
Here's what I ate last night:
To the left of the yellow squash is a combination of:
- smoked pulled pork stir-fried with EVOO, green beans, fresh kale (farmer's market), carrots, brocolli, califlower and fresh garilc.
Then I started saying "yes" to life. Now, I see squash as opportunity.
The English word "squash" derives from askutasquash (a green thing eaten raw), a word from the Narragansett language, which was documented by Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, in his 1643 publication A Key Into the Language of America. (WIKI, WIKI, What!)
Squash is highly affordable and comes in different forms:
- Acorn Squash
- Butternut Squash
- Pumpkins (heirloom, traditional, etc.)
- Summer Squash
- Zuccinni
- Hubbard
- Spaghetti
- Name some others!
Best Place to Buy:
Local farmer's markets. 1/2 price of what you'd pay at Wal-Mart, Kroger, or any other chain.
In addition to being paleo-friendly, loaded with fiber and vitamins, squash also offer great value. One half of one acorn squash offers a heaping lump of mashed delciousness, twice the size of the normal serving of mashed potatoes.
Bonus Snack!
You also get a great snack too. Ever roast pumpkin seeds? Same deal. Don't throw away those seeds. Pick them apart, rub them down with some EVOO, some gluten-free seasoning, and throw in the oven at 375 degrees until they are nice and toasty-looking (less time for smaller seeds).
Carving pumpkins this Halloween?
Don't waste the insides! Once you separate the seeds, take all that stuff you'd normally throw away (or hopefully compost), add it to a pot of water, boil until fork-tender, and then puree while still warm in blender. Add EVOO and pepper to smooth out flavor.
Again, Paleo doesn't have to be expensive if you don't waste potential food.
Freezer
Have a large freezer? Squash freezes well if you cook it, puree it, and seal it in an airtight ziplock freezer bag. Make sure to lay flat while freezing to save space. Load up now and enjoy until next fall's crop.
An example recipe:
(I made this last night and can't wait to make again).
Roasted Acorn Squash
What you need:
1. Acorn Squash, cut in half
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
3. pinch sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
4. Foil lined baking sheet
5. Oven at 375
What you do:
Turn on oven and pre-heat to 375 and warm baking sheet in oven.
Cut the acorn in half, remove seeds (and save!), rub down exposed flesh with EVOO, dash with salt and pepper, and lay face down on warm baking sheet for 15-20 minutes or until the outter skin wrinkles and is soft to touch.
Remove and let cool a bit, then squeeze or spoon out insides. Add salt, pepper, or other seasonings to taste.
Okay...I'm going to go eat some squash now.
To the left of the yellow squash is a combination of:
- smoked pulled pork stir-fried with EVOO, green beans, fresh kale (farmer's market), carrots, brocolli, califlower and fresh garilc.
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