Butternut Squash Delight

Squash is a wonderful winter vegetable that is abundant this time of year. Not only is it delicious, but it has high-fiber, low calories, and essential nutrients!
One of the biggest problems I know we all have is...okay I bought it..what do I do next?  Let me take you through a tasty, easy, and quick way to incorporate squash into your diet.  You can buy one from the grocery store and cut it into chunks (with your husbands chain saw)...
OR

 Buy pre-chopped organic squash (mine is from Costco
which you can find in the refrigerated produce section.)

Pour the squash onto a cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.
Add salt, pepper and cumin.
You could be finished here and put it in the oven.

Or.... you can keep adding by sprinkling chopped red onions into the mix:

And you can even add some finely chopped apples! (Really a delicious touch)

Next, place the tray in the oven at 350º Fahrenheit.
 (I used 300º on convection) for around 45 minutes.

  

It really depends on how you like it.
 If you take it out after 45 minutes... it will be great and look like this:

Or....you can leave it in a little longer and the oil carmelizes with all the other ingredients making it taste very sweet.

What? The next day roasted vegetable salad!  Delicious!

Squash is a powerhouse health food that can help build your immune system during the long winter months... And with this easy way of cooking it, you can enjoy it throughout the holidays with no stress.  

One cup of Butternut squash Roasted in 1 tbsp Olive Oil = 122 calories

By the way - Cumin is said to decrease allergy symptoms and reduce heartburn, improve digestion and is a good source of iron, magnesium and calcium... 

( p.h.d. jonny boden- 150 healthiest foods on earth).

Figs, Figs, Figs!

A few years ago, after remodeling my house and yard, I realized that instead of planting more ornamental trees I wanted fruit trees.  I looked around at my friend's yards and fell in love with the large, beautifully shaped leaves on the majestic fig tree. I decided to plant a fig tree of my

own in a special spot in my yard.  Whenever I see the tree it always makes me smile.  Since it takes a few years for trees to start yielding fruit, last year was actually the first year that I started to see prolific progress in the production of fruit from my new favorite tree.  I gave most of the figs away... saying that I didn’t really like figs and mostly just appreciated the tree for its beauty– I hate to admit that we wasted a lot of them in the past…  However, this year has been a different story – with focusing on eating healthier and enjoying things from the earth, and the fact that my daughter gave me a food dryer for my birthday, I decided to dry my apples and figs – WOW!!!!  They tasted soooooooooooo good – I keep drying and drying... and my children and friends keep eating.  Then my daughter told me about how nutritious figs are… and now I am trying to find a spot for another tree!!!  LOL! 

It makes me so happy to have the tree – thank you to my daughter for giving me such a thoughtful gift for my birthday (the dehydrator that is now in use 24/7)  and to my brainiac daughter for discovering for us the health benefits of eating figs…

Here are just a few:

Calcium Rich- Figs are an excellent source of calcium, which supports bone health and growth, and diminishes one's chances of developing osteoporosis. According to the book 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, "a mere six figs give you 82 mg of calcium and 34mg of magnesium…which is more than three times the amount in a glass of orange juice."

Excellent Potassium Content- Potassium not only helps to lower high blood pressure, but it can blunt the effects of sodium intake. According to 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, “people who eat potassium- rich foods like figs, have lower rates of heart disease and stroke.”

Fiber High-  According to 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,  “Research from Harvard University has shown that men with the highest dietary fiber intake had a 40% reduction in heart attacks compared to men eating the least fiber.”  The PHD Jonny Bowden continues, stating: “High- fiber diets have also been shown to be associated with better blood sugar control and with much better weight control.”

Good Source of Iron-  According to livestrong.com,  “A 1/2-cup serving of dried figs contains 1.5 mg of iron. Iron is an essential mineral needed to help transport oxygen in your blood. Without enough iron in your diet, delivery of oxygen to your cells decreases, causing you to feel tired and weak and more susceptible to infection.”

While I have been dehydrating my figs and just eating them by the handful, you can find dried figs at your local grocery store.  The images below show the before and after of the dehydration process:

I love this way of eating figs!  If you have any fig recipes that you love, send me an email at shannon@shannonmymom.com!  I would love to see and try new ways to eat these wholesome fruits.

-Shannon