When I was a kid, we would have the traditional roast beef dinner with roasted parsnips, carrots and onions. My mom would do the Yorkshire Pudding as well and homemade gravy. Without fail, I would be forced to eat one lonely parsnip and one darkened carrot, often times these being the last two morsoles on my plate. I hated them. But now, I appreciate what happens to those lovely root veggies when roasted!
I love roasting my veggies on the BBQ, but can easily throw them on a tray on a low heat as I putter around the house or go out and grab the kids from school.
Maggie shares a simple, yet wondrous version of roasted butternut squash – I challenge you to switch out with buttercup squash. A lovely and meaty alternative to this simple treasure!
Thanks again, Maggie!
~A
I love squash. All year round, you can find squash in my kitchen. I use it in risotto, in oatmeal, in curries, pancakes, salads – when I say love, I really mean adore. It is so tasty, and I love that it can go either sweet or savory, depending on how you season it. I also love that fact that it is so low calorie! 200 grams (about a heaping cup – or more) of butternut squash is only 80 calories. If you like to eat a lot, like me, this is a great food to incorporate into your diet!
This is probably my most basic way of preparing squash. It’s super simple, and makes meal prep easy for the week. While the squash is roasting, you can go ahead and cook all your proteins, veggies, and treats for the rest of the week, and when you are done, so is the squash!
You will need:
1 large Butternut Squash
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp Ginger
2 Tbsp Garam Masala
Red Pepper Flakes to taste
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line or spray a large lasagna or brownie pan with PAM or another no-calorie cooking spray. Cut your squash in half across first, and then cut in half again lengthwise. This makes it very easy to cut, instead of struggling to get your knife through from the top to the bottom all at once! Scoop out the seeds and connective strands, and then lay out in the pan, cut sides facing up. Sprinkle generously with salt, and then hit each half of the squash with a tablespoon of cinnamon, ginger, and garam masala. Cover with some aluminum foil, and bake in the oven for about an hour.
After the hour is over, take the foil off of the squash, and bake for another 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of your squash. I like to turn the oven up slightly to 400 degrees at this point. How do you tell when it is done? Well, poke it with a fork! When you meet little to no resistance, your squash is done. You can hit it with the broiler for a few minutes to develop even more caramelization, which creates even more sweetness. Enjoy scooped right out of the skin! You can store this in a tupperware in the fridge once it is fully cooled, and have an easy go-to side dish. You can also mix it into lentils, fruit, potatoes, veggies – whatever your heart desires! Enjoy guys, and as always, let me know what you think!
My name is Maggie Jasmin, and starting in January 2013, I dedicated myself to a new fitness journey, and have since lost 115 pounds. I move more, pick up heavy things, think intelligently about my food, and try to be the healthiest I can every day. This doesn't mean I gave up the foods I love – I just make them healthy! I blog and post recipes about my comfort food turned health food at 
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