| October Monthly Newsletter |
| Morsel of the Month ‘Tis the season for pumpkin spiced everything, from the original pie to coffee, body lotion, cream cheese, bagels, waffles, popcorn, ice cream, cereal, cookies, Twinkies, protein shakes, nuts, dog treats and more. You truly cannot escape the orange-colored vegetable this time of year. While it’s easy to see why some people get pumpkin fatigue every autumn, we would like to encourage you to embrace the healthier (and more delicious) side of pumpkin and other winter squashes. Pumpkin, like other winter squash, contains fiber, beta-carotene and vitamin C, which can help regulate your appetite and digestion, and boost your eye, heart and skin health, as well as your immunity. On the other hand, pumpkin spiced lattes are full of sugar and not much else. A grande Starbucks PSL contains 12 teaspoons of sugar, a medium Dunkin Donuts pumpkin swirl latte contains 13 teaspoons of sugar, and a 16 oz pumpkin latte from Wawa contains 15 teaspoons of sugar – all before adding any syrup swirls or whipped cream! Oh, and did I mention that Dunkin Donuts’ and Wawa’s lattes do not contain any actual pumpkin? To get some real pumpkin into your fall menus, check out these deliciously healthy recipes on the Athens Nutrition website, but don’t limit yourself to only pumpkin. Try butternut, acorn, hubbard, kabocha and delicata squash in soups, stews and sides. And don’t forget about spaghetti squash, which you can shred into pasta-like strands and serve with your favorite sauce. Did you know the squash seeds make a great snack or salad and soup toppers? You can rinse them off and roast them while you’re roasting your squash. Check out our free recipe downloads on our website for pumpkin spice cupcakes; pumpkin pie; overnight oats; sausage, mushroom and butternut squash with ribbon noodles; pita bread pudding with pumpkin and toasted walnuts; pumpkin oatmeal with spiced apples; cinnamon-spiced butternut squash muffins; pumpkin and spice cookies; and butternut pear soup. Recipe Round-Up “Where delicious meets fast and healthy”. That’s the formula we follow for all of our recipes because we know you’re busy and you’d like to keep cooking simple. We have made a lot of pumpkin recipes over the years. These are just a few of our favorites from our cooking blog. Pumpkin spice cupcakes (tip: leave off the icing and call them muffins!) A lightened-up version of pumpkin pie A twist on traditional bread pudding (with pumpkin, walnuts and pita) Meal-prep a pumpkin breakfast with overnight oats A comforting pasta dinner for chilly fall nights Butternut squash soup is always a fall favorite Cheesy spaghetti squash lasagna will please the pickiest palates See more recipes at judymatusky.com Squash Cooking Tips To roast butternut squash: Peeling: Keep the butternut squash whole and use a vegetable peeler, starting at one end then switch to the other end. When peeling the skin, be sure to remove the white layer and greenish fibers just under the skin. This layer is very tough and no amount of cooking will soften it. You’ll want to peel the skin until you reach the bright orange squash layer. Slicing: Cut the peeled squash in half, lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place squash, cut-side down, on a cutting board and slice each into half-moon slices (about ½ inch thick). Roasting: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray). Roast squash until bottom side of squash pieces are well browned, about 25 minutes. Flip each piece and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes until tender. To roast spaghetti squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half (this is the most difficult part of the recipe so please be careful). Scoop out the interior flesh and seeds (save the seeds to bake along with the squash). Place squash halves on a foil-lined baking sheet (cut side up). Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Allow squash to cool for a few minutes, then with a fork, scrape the interior until you release the spaghetti squash strands. To roast seeds: Roasted Squash Seeds: Toss the squash seeds with a splash of olive oil, a dash of salt and chili powder (or other favorite seasoning). Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet (spray the foil with cooking spray) and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. You can do this on another rack in your oven while you’re roasting your squash. Check them often and stir as needed to keep them from burning. Copyright © 2019 Athens Nutrition, All rights reserved. You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to our weekly nutrition bootcamp. Our mailing address is: Athens Nutrition27 W Athens Ave Ardmore, PA 19003-1321 |
