Squash: Best of Grain Substitutes
A Root Vegetable that Doubles as a Carbohydrate Alternative
Jun 20, 2008
It is often difficult for those suffering from celiac or gluten sensitivities to find foods that can take the place of rice, pasta, bread and cereal. Winter squash is a vegetable that can be overlooked as a replacement carbohydrate. In the past, it has been relegated to being served as a side dish for holiday dinners. As a grain alternative, its versatility is virtually unmatched by any other food, vegetable or other.
If unfamiliar with squash in all its shapes and sizes, it can be a little overwhelming to choose where to begin. Winter varieties can be orange and tubular like butternut or green and round like buttercup. There are even yellow tubular and round squashes like delicata and sweet dumplings. In the end, how the vegetable will be used and personal taste will dictate the choice.
Choosing Squash:
It is best to try to buy organic as much as possible since it is both healthier and tastier. The best types of squash with regards to flavor, texture and versatility seem to be butternut and buttercup. Both kinds are rich and sweet yet savory. They can be used as snacks, side dishes or meals.
When choosing the butternut variety, it is best to pick a darker shade of orange. If the color is darker, the taste is richer. Buttercups are usually more delicious if the outside is covered in more knotty growths. The uglier the outer vegetable is, the tastier the inside meat seems to be. Squashes like delicata, sweet dumpling and spaghetti don’t require as much scrutiny. As long as they don’t appear to have soft spots or bruises on their skins, they should be fine.
Squash as Spaghetti:
The easiest way to fulfill a desire for noodles is to use a spaghetti squash as a substitute. Simply bake an entire squash on 375º F until the vegetable is cooked (45 minutes to 1 hour). Remove seeds and scoop out the “spaghetti”, pour homemade or store bought tomato sauce over top with a little olive or flax seed oil. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top if desired and a faux spaghetti meal is created.
Breakfast Bowls:
Buttercup squash are perfectly and naturally designed in a bowl shape to be filled with whatever one desires. Halve the squash, remove the seeds and place in oven face up at 375º F 35-45 minutes or until cooked. Fill with maple syrup, vanilla, tofu chunks or hard packed cottage cheese. Sprinkle with cinnamon and flax seed oil and enjoy as a hearty breakfast.
Another option is to place a handful of any combination of nuts and dried fruit in the bowl. Pour a little maple syrup and flax seed oil over the whole concoction and indulge in the sweet, creamy flavor.
Baked Squash Fries:
Butternut or buttercup squash cut into wedges and baked with a little olive oil, soy sauce and herbs are a perfect snack to quench the craving for salty treats. Bake at 375º F until cooked and savor the healthful extravagance.
Sweet and Salty Baked Squash:
The simplest way to eat butternut or buttercup squash is to cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and bake in oven face up 35-45 minutes on 375º F or until done. Drizzle soy sauce, flax seed oil and a pinch of stevia and enjoy.
With a little creativity and experimentation, this vegetable has great potential as a grain substitute.
