Baked or Roasted Butternut Squash

By Marco Girgenti

YIELD: Serves 2, one half each.

INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash (washed)
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of maple syrup (or agave)
(optional, a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 deg, F/180 deg. C
Slice off the very top nub of the squash.
Cut the squash in half, from top to bottom.
The squash does not have a large pit like an avocado, so you will be able to slice right through it.

Once open, use a spoon to scoop out the inner flesh until you have a cleaner hole and make absolutely sure to save the seeds! Susan has a wonderful pumpkin seed recipe that will work with these seeds as well, just search the site for “pumpkin seeds.”

Lay the squash on a baking sheet (covered with aluminium foil) or in a roasting pan.

Pour half of the olive oil into the hole of one half of the butternut squash, and the rest into the other. Repeat this for the syrup you choose.
With a basting brush, use the holes as a “mixing well” so to speak, to mix the two together.

Once thoroughly mixed, lightly brush both sides (inside only) of the butternut squash with the mixture. You will have a some of the mixture left in the holes, but much of this will be absorbed by the cooking process.

Again, if you wish you can also dust the butternut squash with cinnamon, or garlic… the choice is yours, be creative!

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until fork tender. Allow to cool, and serve as is.

NUTRITION INFO:

An entire, large butternut squash typically has about 150-200 calories, (raw).
Remember that the addition of oil adds 120 calories per tablespoon.
Also, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup adds about 53 calories.
So, in the final analysis, one half of the butternut squash as prepared in this recipe is equal to about 185 cal per serving.