Fall in Love with Squash: Seasonal Recipe and Nutrition Tips.

Eating healthy and in season doesn’t have to be hard. Eating seasonal foods can help save money and increase consumption of nutritious foods. There are dozens of recipes that can make it easy to fuel yourself with delicious and nutritious foods while allowing you to save money and time.

There are many seasonal fall fruits in upstate New York such as apples, pears, cranberries, and grapes that are full of fiber and antioxidants to help keep you healthy as the seasons change. There are also many root vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and beets that are full of fiber and vitamins. Moving onto squash… there are various types of squash that are in peak season during the fall that are packed with nutrients and are delicious. There are so many delicious ways to enjoy squash, follow along to see the recipe at the bottom!

Eating seasonal local produce is cheaper because there is less transportation involved and it does not need to be stored for as long. It also allows for us to support local farmers and benefits the local economy and the environment. Less emissions from transportation and less packaging can benefit the environment.

Cooking food in bulk can help us to save time cooking throughout the week and save money because there’s leftovers in the fridge so no need to go out to eat! What you eat for one meal, can be leftovers for another meal and you can add different sauces to change up the flavor profile. Eating healthy doesn’t need to be hard, expensive, or boring!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash (peeled and cut into cubes).

1 small onion (diced).

2 tbsp butter.

½ tsp. dried sage.

1 tbsp brown sugar.

1.5 cups vegetable or chicken stock.

Salt and pepper (to taste).

Raw pumpkin seeds (for a garnish)

Instructions:

1. Add squash, onion and butter into a microwave safe dish and cover it with a lid.

2. Microwave for 8-9 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

3. Add the sage, brown sugar, chicken stock, and salt. Cover and continue to microwave for 6-7 minutes.

4. Mash all the cooked ingredients together and transfer it into a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and enjoy!