Vary Your Veggies with Squash

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel"

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The Holiday season is notorious for poor eating and too many sweets. But there are some GREAT foods that come out in the Fall that should be added to your diet. There are a ton of varieties, and I am not going to sit here and explain all of them (no one wants to read that!) but I choose a few to explain so you can implement them into your next meal!

Walking down the produce aisle my eyes keep sizing up all the colorful squash that are predominately displayed in the vegetable section. It all looks so pretty, but what in the world would I do with it? And more so, how do I chose between a green squash, yellow squash or seemingly-rainbow colored squash?

First off, squash is wonderful for you! It has been linked to a decresed risk of lung cancer, colon cancer, stroke and heart disease. Squash also has high levels of folate, which has been shown to decrease pregnant woman's risk of birth defects. Finally, it has been shown to reduce inflammation and ease pain for those who suffer from arthritis.

Acorn squash has been named the easiest to cook with. It is easy to slice open and relatively quick to bake. It is available year round. This veggie is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and fiber. It is sweet and have heard of people pairing it with whip cream or fruit...



No, that is not a misshapen pumpkin! The Ambercup squash is a drier variety of squash, which lends itself to cooking into soups especially. Carotenoids in the Ambercup Squash has been shown to help with the degeneration of eyes.

I always want to buy these because I think they are so pretty. The Carnival Squash has a very think skin and only the flesh is edible (apparently, the seeds are no good!) It has a flavor similar to a sweet potato-YUM-and can be eaten similarly or cooked into soups.

The Turban Squash is commonly used as a fall decoration because of it's vibrant colors and unique shape. That being said, it should not be overlooked in your recipes! It is sweet and eaten in pies and sweeter squash options.

And our Thanksgiving recipe should not surprise you: Yellow Squash Casserole (myrecipes.com)

-8 cups Yellow Squash
-1 Tablespoon water
-6 oz. hot turkey Italian Sausage
-1/2 cup shopped onion
-2 garlic cloves
-2 slices day-old wheat bread
-1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
-1/3 cup diced provolone cheese
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1 can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine squash and water in bowl, cover, and microwave for 6 minutes. Drain.
3. Cook sausage, onion and garlic in skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Drain.
4. Place bread in food processor and crumble to 1 cup. Comine squash, sausage-mixture, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, sour cream, cheese, salt, pepper and soup. Spoon into 2-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs.
5. Bake for 30 minutes