As much as a I love pumpkin, butternut squash is my absolute favorite winter squash. You can substitute butternut squash for pumpkin in most recipes such as stews, stir-fry, pies, puddings and salads. While it’s delicious as part of a dish, it is equally as amazing eaten on it’s own when simply roasted or baked.
In case you need a few more reasons to eat your butternut squash (besides that it’s super tasty), this orange-fleshed veggie is a great source of some essential vitamins and nutrients. Vitamin A tops the list, which is a nutritional element that helps with eye function. Butternut squash is also a major source of vitamin C, a classic antioxidant, as well as vitamins E and B6, and other nutrients like thiamin and riboflavin. Butternut squash also contains some folate, something that pregnant women need for healthy fetal development, as well as potassium, a nutrient that can help with the treatment of some kinds of health disorders like hypertension. So dig in!
These “fries” can be served on their own (my preference) or dipped in your favorite sauce. I may or may not have eaten an entire batch for lunch the other day…so you may want to make a large batch in case you have to share 🙂
Baked Butternut Squash “Fries”
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease.
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and toss to combine.
3. Lay squash slices on the baking sheet in an individual layer. (If the pieces are touching, it will take longer to bake) Bake for 25-35 minutes* or until golden brown and beginning to crisp on the edges, turning pieces over halfway through. Enjoy!
*Baking time will vary by oven, my small toaster oven only takes 25 minutes but my large oven requires 35-40 minutes of baking.
Flavor variations
Cinnamon: Add 1 tsp of ground cinnamon along with the salt, oil and pepper and toss.
Maple: Add 2 Tbsp maple syrup or maple sugar to the salt, pepper and olive oil and toss.
Garlic-Parmesan: Add 2 minced garlic cloves to the salt, pepper and olive oil. After baking for 15-20 minutes or so, sprinkle 1/3 cup parmesan cheese over squash slices
This is my submission to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend this week!
