If you like recipes that meet your checklist of hearty, healthy, and delicious, this is it. Featuring seasonal superstar foods, your senses of sight, smell, and taste are in for a pleasing palate sensation.
There’s something special about seasonable fall/winter flavors. For me, it’s similar to the feeling of a cozy, warm blanket wrapped around you on a chilly evening. Inviting, fragrant, and flavorful, this good-for-you comfort food side dish is ideal for family get-togethers.
Comfort food and “nutrient-rich” usually don’t go together. But in this recipe, each ingredient tastefully coexists while providing various nutrients to boot.
Basics about butternut squash
The headliner of this recipe is butternut squash. This winter squash, shaped like an elongated pear, is a member of the cucurbitaceae family. Squash goes back a long ways (10,000 years ago) to its origin in Mexico and Central America. In fact, the word “squash” comes from the Native American word askutasquash, which means uncooked or eaten raw.
Unsure of what butternut squash tastes like? If you like the taste of sweet potatoes or carrots, you’ll like butternut squash too.
Health wise, butternut squash is a winner. One cup is packed with more than 100% of your daily needs of vitamin A and nearly 40% of vitamin C. It’s also good for hydration as one cup is approximately 87% water.
The star nutrients in butternut squash are vitamin A (a fat-soluble vitamin) and beta-carotene, a pigment found in plants. Beta carotene is also an antioxidant protecting your body from damaging molecules called free radicals. Over time, damage from free radicals can lead to numerous chronic illnesses. Research has found foods packed with antioxidants help boost immune functioning and may lower risk of heart disease and cancer.
The vitamin A in butternut squash is well-known for promoting good eye health such as protecting eyes from damaging ultraviolet rays. Vitamin A also protects eyes from night blindness and age-related eye decline. Besides eye health, vitamin A also supports bone health and a healthy immune system and may lower risk of certain cancers and risk of acne.
On to the recipe
Now that you know the healthy benefits of butternut squash, let’s talk about how to go about putting this delectable recipe together.
If you prefer to use a substitute for butternut squash, I would recommend acorn squash or buttercup squash. ButterCUP squash you may ask? Yes there is such a thing. The main difference between butternut and buttercup squash is that buttercup squash tends to be a bit drier whereas butternut squash is moister. Both have a natural sweet and nutty flavor. However, butternut squash is a little bit sweeter in taste than buttercup squash.
If dried cranberries are not a favorite, consider using raisins or dried cherries or leave out altogether.
Use apples meant for baking such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonathans, Winesap, Braeburn, or Rome Beauty.
And there you have it. Side dishes don’t get anymore simple and sublime than this one. Whatever else you got going on your dinner plate will pair nicely with this recipe. Now that’s what you call looking on the bright side!
Baked Butternut Squash With Apples And Cranberries
Baked Butternut Squash With Apples And Cranberries
Ingredients
- 2 cups Butternut Squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 2 cups Apples peeled and cored, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel and cube both the squash and apples into bite sized cubes.
- Combine squash and apples cubes, olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, and salt in a large bowl.
- Toss ingredients to coat squash and apples until well mixed.
- Spread mixture evenly onto a metal baking pan sprayed with cooking oil.
- Bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until squash is soft.
Notes
