There’s a couple of foods to grab when you go the market that can be real life savers, and hearty vegetables such as butternut squash is one of them. Even if you might not have a clue as to how you’ll actually use them at that exact second, they keep well for a while, so there’s time to figure it out! And it will save you when you run out of other stuff and don’t want to go into the freezing cold to go shopping, yet again.
Here is a great way to actually use those that squash- my Easy Bake Spiced Butternut Squash Recipe will come to the rescue. With the squash’s long shelf life (see note), some flavoring from the warming spices and a bit of sweetness from the coconut nectar, here’s a delicious warming dish you can whip up as you trail out of your other veggies, towards mid or the end of the week. I get it. And I got you!
The Sweet & Fibrous Squash
One of my all time favorite squashes is the butternut squash—packed with fiber, antioxidants, skin-brightening beta-carotene, vitamin C, and beautifying minerals, like iron. Even though these guys are low in fat, carbs, and calories, they are still quite filling, easy to digest, and taste delicious.
Click here if you want to aid your digestion and promote a healthier and happier gut!
Speaking of the gut, butternut squash also helps in maintaining a high fiber diet which helps to prevent bloating and constipation—promoting a healthier gut, as well as decreasing inflammation and improving immune function.
One cup of butternut squash provides a whopping 437% percent of your vitamin A needs for the day, and 52% of vitamin C. There is also the 10% or more of vitamin E, plus vitamin B-6, folate, thiamin, magnesium and manganese.
The butternut squash is also high in Vitamin A content (which is needed for sebum production—keeping hair moisturized). This vitamin also plays a role in the growth of all bodily tissues, including skin.
So grab a squash next time you’re at the store, and give this recipe a go!
So easy and so delish. My favorite kind of recipe. You don’t need gazillions of ingredients, really, to make something bright and awesome. Simple is and always will be, often best!
Check out this quick and tasty recipe below…
Easy Bake Spiced Butternut Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash – cook whole at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or so let cool and cut into cubes.
- 2 tbsp coconut oil warmed
- 2 tbsp coconut nectar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt + more as needed
- 1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon
- ¼ tsp powdered cloves
- ¼ tsp powdered nutmeg
- 2 pinches of powdered turmeric
- Freshly ground black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat your cookie sheet in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes if pan is cold. This prevents the coconut oil from solidifying on contact.
- Add butternut squash to cookie sheet and pour coconut oil and coconut nectar evenly all over. Top with spices and toss thoroughly.
- Roast in oven until easily pierced through with a fork (about 20-30 minutes depending on size of your cubes), flipping with a spatula as needed to evenly brown all sides.
- Season to taste with additional salt or freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Note: Squash shells are hard and difficult to pierce, which enables them to have long storage periods—up to six months! This is great news for those of us who keep walking past them. ;)
Let me know if you give this recipe a try, and don’t forget to add it to your Dinner Recipes Pinterest Board!
Sending you so much love!
Kimberly
I had this tonight! It was so delicious . . . I could eat this every night! And leftovers for lunch sound pretty amazing, too:) So easy to make. I’ve never cooked any squash until recently. I love tons of your recipes so I finally made your stuffed acorn squash for Thanksgiving this year (and your cumin beets! and my husband made vegan mashed purple potatoes!) and everything was really good. We took it all with us to my mom’s – healthier options at hand plan. Tonight was my first butternut squash ever – as always, great recipe. Thanks Kimberly!:))
Wonderful Jaime….and thanks for sharing your feedback. So happy you love this recipe. Sending you much love! ;)