I heard a lot about delicata squash when I was on the IP diet. Many people were using them as a potato substitute so I was intrigued but was never able to find any. This year on our annual pilgrimage to Shields Herb Farm, my sister and I found some great plants one of which was a delicata plant. Yay!
To be honest, I wasn’t sure what one looked like so when they were growing in my garden, I first thought they were overgrown cucumbers. They were a little bigger in width and length than a pickliing cucmber but they were a pale green with darker green stripes. So I had picked one before it was ready by accident and you can see it above. This is what they look like on the vine below.
After doing some research I now know that they should be a a little more yellowy-creamy color with spots of orange. But since I picked that one, I thought I may as well roast it to see how it tasted. It was delcious! It is my new favorite vegetable. I just cut it up and tossed it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and set it in the oven to roast. Even my hubby liked it! The skin is thin so no peeling necessary. Just cut in half, scoop out the seeds and chop into rings. Easy peasy. You can find the recipe for Delicata Fries here.
I highly recommend adding this squash to your vegetable repertoire . It tastes great just roasted and is so easy to grow and cook. And as you will see below it is full of vitamins and minerals and low in fat and calories. Try one today….you won’t regret it. Seriously, it’s really good.
For more information on delicatas, check out these websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicata_squash
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2633/2 (for nutritional information. Part of the crock neck squash family.)
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/delicata-squash-recipes-recipe.html (many delicata recipes that look delicious though so far I can’t stop making my fries!)
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