Eat Orange Food, Part 5: Roasted Golden Hubbard Squash

Beta-carotene! Get your beta-carotene here! Like any orange food, Hubbard squash is loaded with an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins (A and C), fiber and phytonutrients, all proven to be good for your skin, eyes and heart. Research has even shown that vibrantly-colored fruits and vegetables (orange, enter stage left) may also decrease your risk of cancer.

So eat up! I sure do. This time of year when winter squash is in-season, you will almost always find one variety or another sitting on my kitchen counter awaiting its turn in the meal rotation. This bright orange Hubbard squash is one good example, and the prep couldn't be easier.

I simply roast the squash in a really hot oven (400 degrees) with a little coating of olive oil, maybe a dash of salt. But to really crank it up a notch and make it like mom used to do (or Ran's mom used to do... I don't recall my mom ever making winter squash while we were growing up. Hm. No wonder we all wear glasses.), I finish it off with a pat of butter and a sprinkling of dark brown sugar. That makes my DH happy, and it certainly makes me happy. It'll make you happy too.

Bottom line: eat more naturally orange food. Start with squash. You'll be glad you did.