Spiced Delicata Squash with Pears

The following post was written by nutritioulicious™ intern Jo Bartell

As the fall sets in, I start to crave squash (well, I always crave squash), and I love that so many varieties of winter squash are at the farmers market, the grocery store, and in all the cooking magazines! One pretty and yummy winter squash that I sometimes forget about is the delicata squash. If you’ve never seen a delicata squash, it’s about the size of a large potato. The outside is cream colored with thin dark green vertical stripes and a yellow flesh in the center. The thin outside skin is both easy to cut through and great to eat.

I often check Eating Well for their awesome vegetable-filled recipes and creative food and nutrition articles. I was really happy to see a few recipes featuring delicata squash in this month’s issue. Last night I decided to try their “Chili-Brown Sugar Delicata Squash with Pears” with a few modifications. The original recipe called for a small amount of bacon and bacon fat, but since I’m not a bacon eater I decided to make my dish vegetarian. I also forgot to buy brown sugar, so I had to leave that out too, although I’m sure it would have been a delicious addition. This simple recipe is a nutritious and delicious mix of sweet and spicy and made a perfect, flavorful side dish.

Spiced Delicata Squash with Pears (original recipe from Eating Well Magazine)
Serves: 4; Serving Size: ¾ cup
TotalTime: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound delicata squash (about 1 large)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 medium ripe but firm pears, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out the seeds. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Toss in a large bowl with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a large baking sheet.
3. Roast the squash until just tender, stirring once or twice, for a total of 20 minutes.
4. Toss pears with chili powder, add to the baking sheet with the squash, and roast for another 5 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!

Nutrition Information (per serving): 114 calories, 2 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 127 mg sodium

Nutrition Note: Both delicata squash and pears are rich sources of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that can help increase immunity, which is important during the upcoming winter months. The orange center of the delicata squash is a wonderful source of beta-carotene, a compound our body can turn to vitamin A, another antioxidant that helps with healthy skin and vision. The skin of squash and pears is also packed with fiber, so make sure to eat the whole thing!

Have you ever tried delicata squash? If so, how do you prepare it?