Who else is OBSESSED with winter squash?? I mean, is there a squash that doesn’t taste like heaven? Certainly not one I’m aware of.
Over the last year or so, I’ve put much more focus on eating seasonally. Not only is this beneficial for the environment, but it’s better for your health. Our bodies need a variety of nutrients and a variety of nutrients come from a variety of foods. You can’t expect to eat chicken and broccoli for the rest of your life and achieve optimum health. It doesn’t work like that. You may achieve your optimum level of leanness, but being lean and being healthy are not the same thing.
Let me repeat that. Being lean and being healthy are not the same thing.
Can I rant about that for a sec? In my health/fitness community, I see so many people reduce what they eat to less than 10 foods because they think that’s what’s healthiest. Chicken, tilapia, coconut oil, broccoli, asparagus, kale, eggs. Sound familiar? First of all, tilapia is gross and almost entirely farm raised. Second, that’s a sad plate day after day. And though I can’t really argue that chicken and broccoli are unhealthy foods, they’re also not the best. Chicken is devoid of minerals that are plentiful in red meats, namely iron and zinc. I have nothing bad to say about broccoli. It’s pretty legit.
ANYWAYS. Squash. It’s also legit. I’ve had a soft spot for butternut squash since before I went paleo. Initially, it was another attempt to reduce my calories. At that time, my main source of carbohydrate was sweet potato and because squash has fewer carbs than potatoes (in general), I could eat the same volume of food for less calories. DON’T fall for that trap. You’re only gonna dig yourself into a hormonal tailspin.
I now eat butternut squash because I actually enjoy it, not because of it’s carb content. Like many other winter squash and potato varieties, butternut is pretty versatile. It comes in noodle form, cube form, or whole form. I usually opt for the whole butternut squash so I can roast the meat and the seeds. YUM! But here’s the caveat. Cutting into a whole butternut squash is harder than you’d think. Especially after any sort of upper body workout. In fact, you may consider replacing your upper body workout with chopping squash.
Here’s my hack. When you preheat your oven, throw the whole butternut squash in there until the oven is preheated (about 5-10 minutes usually. unless your oven is from 1853). The short time in the oven won’t actually cook the squash, but it’ll soften the skin enough to cut in easier. Be careful when you pull it out of the oven – it’ll be HOT. Speaking from experience here.
As I write this, I’m staring at two more butternut squash sitting on my counter. I so badly want to make this recipe again…because it’s the best and I ate the first batch in like 3 minutes.
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| Servings |
servings
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- 2 small butternut squash
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup coconut cream
- 1/4 cup fresh sage, divided
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp pink himalayan salt
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Rub in the inside with avocado oil (to avoid sticking) and place face down on a baking sheet.
- Bake butternut squash halves for 45 minutes or until tops begin to brown. This time will vary based on the size of butternut squash used. Be careful to not overcook in this step, as we want to preserve the integrity of the skin.
- Once butternut squash are cooked, remove from oven and flip them over (face up) so they can cool.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, or until you can handle them. Scoop out the insides of each half, being careful to not puncture the skin. Leave about half an inch of the meat inside each skin, so they keep their shape.
- In a food processor, add the butternut squash meat, coconut cream, 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh sage, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until combined.
- Scoop the mixture back into the butternut squash halves until evenly distributed.
- Place in oven again for another 20 minutes, or until golden brown.