butternut squah and eggplant

jennpv
jennpv Posts: 33 Member
edited September 21 in Recipes
I have a butternut squash but have no idea how to cook it. Any ideas?

Also, I'm wanting to use eggplant , squash, and zucchini in my lasagna. I've never even cut into an eggplant so have no idea how to prepare it. Is it solid throughout. or is hollow with seeds? Do I just slice it?

Thanks!

Replies

  • katya143
    katya143 Posts: 313 Member
    I would chop it all up, put a little oil in a skillet and saute it add a jar of tomato sauce and some ketchup, lower the heat and simmer till all the veggies are cooked and then prepare my lasagna using this chunky veggie ragu...
  • angebean
    angebean Posts: 195 Member
    Eggplant is a lot like zuchini. It's solid all the way through with a few seeds. You can cut it into 1/4 inch thick slices and that'll probably work for your veggie lasagna. Be aware that they give off a lot of liquids.

    Good luck!
  • Alysgrma
    Alysgrma Posts: 365 Member
    Are you suppose to peel the egg plant or eat the skin too? I would like to use it but not sure how :)

    Thanks
    Mary
  • Empowering2Thrive
    Empowering2Thrive Posts: 3 Member
    None of these veggies you need to remove their skin. There is one thing I absolutely LOVE to do with them. Cut them as thin as you can. Then arrange them on a baking sheet, sprinkle a little olive oil and broil the on low. You end up with veggie chips, a great snack to enjoy throughout the day. Once you remove them from the oven you can sprinkle a dash of salt.

    With eggplants I love to cut them in half horizontally, remove most of the inside, cut it all really small and add it to your meat stuffing, then fill the eggplant skins with the meat stuffing add a little low fat shredded cheese on top, bake in the oven and VOILA, an awesome meal.
  • Italianmomma2
    Italianmomma2 Posts: 2
    Hi Jenn:

    I have cooked Butternut squash a bunch. I usually take it, cut it length wise. Scrape out the seeds and the goopy junk . Put it on a baking sheet and cook at 400 degree's for like 30 minutes. You want to make sure that it turns soft and then you can scrape it out into a bowl. I usually put a little cinnamon and a small amount of butter on it. It is rather sweet and almost taste like a desert. You don't have to put anything on it if you don't want. It will still be just as sweet.

    Eggplant: if you want to use it in a lasagna, I would recommend that you peal the purple skin off. Cut the inside into cubes and put a small amount of olive oil on it and bake it in the oven until it is soft. Then you could mash them up or leave them in soft chunks and put in the lasagna. Is is solid, but the texture of the inside is kind of like an apple texture. It is not hollow. It does have some soft seeds. You want to just leave them. They are part of the eggplant.

    Hope this helps. If I can answer anything else for you, just let me know. I am no expert, but I do love to cook and I try lots of new things constantly...I am a food network JUNKIE!

    By the way...I see you've lost 17 pounds..congratulations to you!
  • DancingDreamer
    DancingDreamer Posts: 520
    ohhhhh look up butternut squash recipes on VegeterianTimes.com they have a GREAT low cal recipe (i would say what its called but my mind is drawing a blank! DX) but basically its baked butternut squash with a filling.

    and eggplant is an interesting veggie (also my favorite OMG SO GOOD!) raw, its DISGUSTING and bitter and just all around gross. but when you cook it its so so soooo yummy. its generally a quite solid vegetable with some teensie seeds sprinkled around the middle. i would suggest cutting it in thin rounds and layering them in the lasagna as a layer just like the cheese and sauce and noodles and meat (if you're using meat). a word of warning though, eggplant is like a sponge, it soaks up any oils you may be using like mad, so if you DO decide to saute it be careful, because it usually ends up NOT being a low cal recipe. NOW! if you DONT saute it before hand and layer it like i suggested it will soak up all the juices and oils that are already in the lasagna and it will still get cooked and yummy. so be careful with that oil around eggplant.

    good luck and happy cooking! :bigsmile:
  • DancingDreamer
    DancingDreamer Posts: 520
    Are you suppose to peel the egg plant or eat the skin too? I would like to use it but not sure how :)

    Thanks
    Mary

    eat the skin! yummy!
  • pressica
    pressica Posts: 361
    None of these veggies you need to remove their skin. There is one thing I absolutely LOVE to do with them. Cut them as thin as you can. Then arrange them on a baking sheet, sprinkle a little olive oil and broil the on low. You end up with veggie chips, a great snack to enjoy throughout the day. Once you remove them from the oven you can sprinkle a dash of salt.

    With eggplants I love to cut them in half horizontally, remove most of the inside, cut it all really small and add it to your meat stuffing, then fill the eggplant skins with the meat stuffing add a little low fat shredded cheese on top, bake in the oven and VOILA, an awesome meal.

    Wow, this sounds yummy!
  • lavender11
    lavender11 Posts: 18 Member
    I LOVE butternut squash. I must admit I had to google eggplant as I'm from England (but now know its what we call an aubergine). I love the following 2 recipes for Butternut squash. One is from Weightwatchers and is a Spiced Butternut Squash Salad and the other is from GMTV (a daytime TV programme) which is Thai turkey and butternut squash curry.

    http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=7011562

    http://www.gm.tv/lifestyle/diet/drop-a-dress-size/40646-thai-turkey-butternut-curry.html

    The below link is from slimming world so not too sure what the equates to in cals etc but its a butternut squash hotpot and sounds lush. I keep on meaning to make it- its on my to do list!

    http://www.slimmingworld.com/healthy_eating/recipe_butternut_squash_hotpot.asp

    I also think that butternut squash goes really well with spinach and chickpeas.

    Don't know if they are the type of recipes you are looking for.

    xx :flowerforyou:
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