Winter Squash and Pumpkin

MichelleLaree13
MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Winter squash and pumpkin have always been favorites of mine. I just found out how low in calories they are. (like 25-45 calories per 100 grams) What are your favorite ways to use winter squash and pumpkin?

I like replacing potatoes with squash in recipes, making creamy soups with it and just eating it with a little salt and pepper.

Replies

  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
    I replace potatoes with squash about 95% of the time. I also replace pasta noodles with spaghetti squash to make delicious significantly lower calorie spaghetti.
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
    im pretty simple when it comes to winter squash.. i just eat them plain with a bit of old bay seasoning on top and have an apple and banana with it... very filling actually
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    im pretty simple when it comes to winter squash.. i just eat them plain with a bit of old bay seasoning on top and have an apple and banana with it... very filling actually

    Do you have the apple and banana on the side or on top of the squash?
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
    I like them plain as well, but last week made a stuffed amber cup squash. It takes awhile, but is a really good "comfort" dish.

    Cut off top of squash and scoop out seeds.
    Set top back on and Bake at 375 for about 45 min, enough so that squash is tender but not mushy.
    While baking:
    Brown sausage of your choice - I used caribou italian sausage which is pretty lean - you could easily sub ground turkey and add italian seasoning to it.
    With the sausage, sautee diced onions and celery.
    While that is cooking;
    Dice an apple (I used honeycrisp) and coarse chop some walnuts or pecans.
    Mix apples and nuts into sausage after cooking of the sausage is complete. Leave to set until squash is done.
    When squash is ready, cut/scoop flesh out and cut into small chunks and mix with rest of ingredients. Put everything back into squash shell and cook for an additional 25 minutes. Any leftover mixture that doesn't fit in the squash, put in a small casserole dish to bake.

    Stuffing the shell really doesn't add anything in terms of flavor, but it looks great. You could just as easily put the entire mix into a casserole dish instead.
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    If by winter squash you mean butternut squash, I eat lots of it. I mash it with chicken base and eat instead of potatoes. I just had a lunch of mashed squash, a can of garbanzo beans and a generous amount of garam masala spice. SO GOOD!
  • rubberbiscuit
    rubberbiscuit Posts: 128
    I like Hungry Girl's take on the KFC bowl. She substitutes butternut for the potatoes. To make it, it's a bowl with mashed butternut, topped with vegetarian chicken nuggets, a few tablespoons of corn, fat-free chicken or turkey gravy, and a small amount of reduced-fat or fat-free shredded cheese. My kids even like it. It's low in calories, but high in sodium, so I don't make it often.
  • mabelbabel1
    mabelbabel1 Posts: 391 Member
    I love them roasted along with a selection of other root veg such as carrots, parsnips, shallots and beetroots...drizzled with olive or rapeseed oil and a few sprigs of thyme and garlic cloves. Or as a thick hearty soup.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    Pumpkin Curry is fantastic. I made this last weekend but added veggies and lentils to it to make it thicker.

    Pumpkin soup

    ½ lb fresh sliced mushrooms
    ½ c chopped onion
    2 t butter
    sautee in large sauce pan 1 min

    2 t flour
    ½-1 tsp curry
    stir flour and curry powder into the mushrooms and onions until blended

    3 c veggie broth

    Gradually add to mixture

    Bring to boil, cook and stir 2 min or until thick.

    1 can 15 oz pumpkin (2 c fresh pumpkin)
    1 can evap milk
    ½ tsp salt
    ¼ tsp pepper
    ¼ tsp nutmeg

    add all and heat through
  • scpeach04
    scpeach04 Posts: 32 Member
    The pumpkin soup sounds wonderful!


    I use butternut squash and bake with apples and walnuts - the receipe is suposed to have butter and brown sugar but I have starting just tossing in about a tablespoon of olive oil and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes - a great dish which lasts all week!
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
    im pretty simple when it comes to winter squash.. i just eat them plain with a bit of old bay seasoning on top and have an apple and banana with it... very filling actually

    Do you have the apple and banana on the side or on top of the squash?

    sorry for the late response - i just eat the apple and banana as side dishes :)
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
    bump
  • mabug01
    mabug01 Posts: 1,273 Member
    I like butternut squash with just a touch of OJ in it.

Categories