Winter Squash Side Dishes

You pass them by in the produce aisle every time, neglected and waiting for your attention! It’s the butternut squash next to the acorn squash. The skin is so tough you wonder how to attack it. Well as long as you have the techniques down, you are on the road to lighter lower calories meals. Here is the link showing how to peel butternut squash for educational purposes only from the website, My Recipes.com Recipes.

You are adding a wonderful carbohydrate to your diet that is low in calories and high in Vitamin A and doesn’t spike your blood sugar like regular white potatoes do. Also a beauty kick for your skin with carotenoids,  Beta carotene and Zeaxanthin as well.   Try the following recipe for butternut squash with a wonderful flavor combo of shallots thyme and apple and paired with any cooked chicken.

Compare Nutrition Facts:

1/2  cup cooked acorn squash or a quarter of cut baked squash: 42 calories 7  grams of carbohydrate   Glycemic Index  41

1/2 cup cooked butternut squash : 42 calories, 10  grams of carbohydrate  Glycemic Index: 41

White baked potato medium:  185 calories 42 grams of carbohydrate  Glycemic Index 81

Baked Sweet Potato  medium : 90 kcals 21 grams of carbohydrate Glycemic Index: 61

Roasted Chicken with Butternut Squash, Shallots and Apples

recipe adapted from Food and Wine 2011

• Any roasted chicken cut up
• 1  2lb butternut squash peeled and cubed
• 2 shallots finely chopped
• 1 peeled and chopped apple
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup golden raisins

Cube butternut squash, add to saucepan with 1/2 cup of water, and on medium heat sweat the squash until tender, 20 minutes, partially covered. Add the shallots, honey, a pat of butter, raisins, pepper, cinnamon and chopped apple. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Add the thyme leaves. Remove from heat. Serve with roast chicken.