Fall Food Energy
Fall is a busy time in your life,
particularly mothers with having to look forward
to the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays when
the cooking gets
both hectic and those "not-so-good for you"
foods can get out of hand. The addition of
winter varieties of squash add both a delicious
item to the
menu and an excellent source of dietary fiber,
Vitamin A, beta carotene and potassium.
Look for the Acorn and Butternut varieties which
are also referred to as hard shell varieties. If
kept in a cool, dry room, they will last for up
to two
months. Keep them spread out and do not wrap!
Whole squash can be baked, boiled, or
butter-steamed. You can even use the microwave.
Cut
the squash in half, remove the seeds, place in a
non-metallic baking dish, and microwave on high
for about 15 minutes, until tender. Strained
squash is an excellent home-made baby food.
After cooking and straining, it can be poured
into an ice cube tray and frozen. Just remove as
much as you need and reheat!
Fun Facts: Europeans introduced squash to
America during the 17th century. They brought
them as both a familiar source of food, but also
because they can be stored for long periods of
time. We all remember that squash was an
important part of the first Thanksgiving. Squash
comes in so many different shapes, sizes, and
colors. Your children might enjoy a trip to the
store or a farmer's market to see how many
different
kinds they can find.
