Healthy Living

My husband and I were overweight as children. As young adults we took an active interest in eating right and working out. We both have changed our lives dramatically by making simple changes. One of the things I try to do is make sure we have 2 healthy vegetables for dinner every night. We live on the East Coast and are about to be hammered by a snow storm. So I thought today's post would be about my favorite recipe.

I wanted to share something that is my own original creation. It was a struggle to get you the exact measurements because I learned to cook from my Italian grandmother. If you have ever cooked with an Italian you know everything is eyeballed. I have become that type of cook.

Here is how to make my Roast Butternut Squash. The reason it is perfect for a stormy day is that it is best if you cook it at 325 degrees for 2 hours on a bottom rack of your oven. It keeps your house warm and makes it smell fantastic. It doesn't have to be cooked this way, but the consistency that you get on a slow roast is delectable. The recipe is simple. You don't need to be Martha Stewart to make this come out fabulous.

I buy the pack of already cut up butternut squash. If you have ever tried peeling one or cutting one you know how hard it is. These packs make life simpler. This recipe only requires one pack of squash, which is 1 pound and 4 ounces. First I put 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the bottom of the baking dish and tilt it all directions till it coats the entire dish. You could use spray olive oil if you want, but I try to avoid using that.

Dump in your squash and spread it out. Now you are going to simply spread the rest of the ingredients out over the squash.

                           1/4 Cup of Craisins sprinkled evenly through out
                           1/4 Cup of Raw Pumpkin Seeds sprinkled evenly through out
                           1 Tablespoon of Curry sprinkled across the entire dish
                           2 Tablespoons of Sugar in the Raw sprinkled evenly

Then I salt and pepper the top. I use just a pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. I top that off by drizzling just a little bit of honey across the contents of the dish (I would say it is no more than a Tablespoon). I try to make sure I get a little of all 3 ingredients across the entire dish. Then I dot the top with two tablespoons of butter cut into pieces. If you can bake it for 2 hours at 325 degrees stir it after the first hour and make sure everything is coated then put it back in for the other hour. You can bake it at 375 degrees for just an hour and stir it after half an hour. It is just as good, but there is something amazing about it when it gets to be almost a mashed consistency. Thinking about it makes my mouth water. I included my before and after pictures. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.