Five Degrees Of Butternut Squash Series: Introduction | RECIPE: Toasted Butternut Squash Seeds

Ah butternut squash. Oh how I love thee.

As you may or may not have noticed, I have many love affairs when it comes to food. Cinnamon rolls. Bananas. Peaches. Well here's another one for your notes.

I was first introduced to the awesomeness that is butternut squash by pure chance. A friend and I went grocery shopping. While browsing the pasta sauce shelf, looking for the same old tomato sauce, I stumbled upon something new. The tangerine hues radiating from the jar called out to me. "What is this beauty?" I thought to myself. Luckily, my friend also has an adventurous palate; so we ended up buying Dave's Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce. Well folks, it was love at first taste! Since then I have made many iterations of my version of this wonderful alternative pasta sauce.

Now we are going to take it to another level. I have decided to write a series of posts on some of the many ways to enjoy butternut squash. This series will show the versatility of the vegetable as it shape-shifts from side dish to sauce to soup to sandwich spread.

Let’s get familiar.

With its odd shape, this vitamin A-rich vegetable can look a bit intimidating. You almost don't know what it is or what to do with it. Underneath the tough beige exterior lies its treasure of bright, rich, deep-orange flesh. The colour is truly invigorating.

Butternut squash is a part of the winter squash family which includes buttercup squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkin. It is also closely related to zucchini, which is one of many summer squashes. 1 cup of cooked butternut squash contains 457% of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) - giving one more reason you have to add this vegetable to your diet. It looks good, tastes good and is good for you. Cooked butternut squash has a mild and slightly sweet flavour, and is reminiscent of cooked sweet potato in texture and taste (at least to me).

To prepare butternut squash, cut to separate the long part from the bulb-ish part. This makes it easier to work with.

Next you peel it using a vegetable peeler, which will no doubt appreciate its break from being relegated to potato duty.

Most recipes featuring buttertnut squash will call for them to be cut into chunks.

Also, you'll discover a mix of fibres and seeds nested within the rounded part of the squash. You can discard if you like but you'll be delighted to find that the seeds are actually edible.

Just clean and remove the fibres as much as you can.

Boil for 10 minutes. Toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper. You can use paprika, chili or cayenne in place of black pepper or even experiment with your seasoning of choice.

Then toast in the oven for 20 minutes.

And so we begin the journey on the quest to discover five 'degrees' of butternut squash. What will we make? How will we make it? Who? Where? When? Why? Whatever the case, one thing is for certain: it will be delicious!

The mystery awaits!

RECIPE: Toasted Butternut Squash Seeds

Adapted from The Shiksa in the Kitchen

Ingredients

• Butternut squash seeds
• Olive oil or melted butter
• Seasoning (salt, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne, paprika, nutmeg, cumin or other)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place seeds and fibres into a mixing bowl. Cover with water. Use your fingers to separate seeds from the fibrous butternut squash threads. It is easiest to do this underwater.
3. Drain the seeds in a colander. Pick through the seeds and discard the loose orange squash fibres.
4. Bring 2 cups of water and ½ tsp of salt to a boil. Add the seeds (up to 1 cup of seeds per 2 cups of water) and boil for 10 minutes.
5. Drain the seeds in a colander and pat dry with a paper towel or towel. Pour the seeds into a mixing bowl and toss them with a little olive oil or melted butter to very lightly coat them.
6. Spread the seeds out in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and any other seasonings you like.
7. Toast the seeds in the oven for about 20 minutes, watching carefully to make sure they don’t burn. They won’t change colour much so the best way to check for doneness is to taste them. The toasted seeds will be very lightly browned.

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2013