A Fall and Winter Treats
Roasted Delicata Squash
I love all kinds of squash but the winter varieties are my favorite and of these, the DELICATA is probably my top pick. It has a thinner skin (hence the name delicata) which is to be eaten-no peeling required.
The Delicata is not as round nor big as other winter squashes, so is easier to handle. (And Trader Joe’s usually has them already sliced and ready to go-THANK YOU!!!)
My favorite way to cook these gems is to simply roast them either in the oven or air fryer, which cuts about 10 minutes off cooking time.
This recipe serves 4 (I do like to have some extra on hand to throw into a salad)
To prepare:
- Pre-heat oven to 400
- Simply cut the ends of two squashes
- Then cut in half lengthwise, scoop the seeds out.
- Then slice them into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Throw the slices into a bowl or a baggie along with 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp Real Salt, ½ tsp garlic powder. Toss everything together, thoroughly coating the squash.
- Place the seasoned squash on an oven rack covered in parchment paper (or if you’ve run out of paper, a Trader Joes’ bag, trimmed to one layer thick, works nicely-gotta be resourceful sometimes) and bake for 25-30 minutes in a conventional oven or 15 minutes in an air fryer.
The taste is warm and savory. The texture, creamy and crisp.
Here’s a link to another fall favorite that’ll have your Thanksgiving guests dishing out an applause but you don’t have to wait to Thanksgiving to enjoy this decadent dish. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds and Goat Cheese
Wanna know the best part about both of these dishes? They both feed our gut microbiome in two of the most wonderful ways.
The Delicata squash gives us much needed fiber to produce more of our favorable gut bacteria and something called SCFA (short chain fatty acids) which are very protective of our gut lining.
The pomegranates in the Brussel Sprouts recipe help grow the gut bacteria called Akkermansia. What’s the big deal about this strain of bacteria? Well it helps our guts to produce GLP 1 agonists. You know, those peptides that everyone is taking these days to lose weight, like Ozempic. Yes, our bodies can make this peptide if given the right ingredients.
Akkermansia also helps build a good gut lining.
Using food as medicine is one of my favorite things to do and YES, I’m weird, but I get excited when I know how something I’m eating will affect my gut, muscles, blood sugar and so many other things. Enjoy!