A New Look at Squash

What do we really know about the squash? It is orange on the inside and green on the outside, with lots of shapes. It is harvested in the fall and early winter. There are lots more to the squash than meets the eye.

All winter squash can be grouped into three species: Cucurbita pepo consists of the smaller, daintier squashes, such as Sweet Dumpling, delicata and acorn; C. maxima refers to the round, bumpy squashes, such as buttercup, Golden Nugget and Red Kuri; C. moschata are round or elongated squashes with smooth skin and dense flesh, such as butternut.

There are more verities then just acorn or butternut squash.
Delicata has golden flesh with a creamy texture and distinctive corn taste. The skin is edible, unlike that of most other winter squashes.
Buttercup's deep orange flesh is rich and sweet with a moist and velvety texture. The skin can be either green with light green stripes and flecks or orange. The familiar green acorn squash is now appearing in markets in new colors, like orange, white and black.
Golden Nugget looks like a small pumpkin with a green ring on the blossom end. Its deep orange flesh is dry, finely textured and mildly sweet.
Red Kuri is tear-shaped and has a dry and velvety flesh with a mild, almost salty, flavor.
Sweet Dumpling is one of the sweetest squashes, with a light orange flesh and smooth texture. The ivory-and-green skin changes to yellow-and-orange as it matures.

Your health benefits from eating, winter squash, which weighs in at only 50 calories per cup, can replace oil or butter in baked goods while delivering a wallop of vitamins and minerals. One cup delivers up to half the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C and about one-fourth the suggested intake of potassium (a mineral that lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke). The varieties with the darkest flesh have the most beta-carotene; for instance, one cup of butternut squash supplies enough beta-carotene to meet the RDA of vitamin A, which contributes to healthy skin, vision and bones.

Squash is also good for your outward beauty as well. At the new Ritz-Carlton Spa at Half Moon Bay in Northern California offers a Pumpkin Body Peel that uses pumpkin enzymes to exfoliate the skin for around $75. The Pumpkin/Melon Body Treatmentat the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, outside Los Angeles, scrubs skin smooth with ground pumpkin and melon seeds and pumpkin pie spices for $110

When you are at your market this weekend pick you're self up a squash and try this wonderful recipe.

Couscous and Squash
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with their juice (from one 15-ounce can)
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1/4 cup raisins
3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas (one 19-ounce can)
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups couscous Directions
In a small frying pan toast the almonds over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Or, toast them in a 350° oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, squash, raisins, broth, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a simmer. Stir in the chickpeas and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the parsley.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the water and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve the stew over the couscous and top with the toasted almonds.

Enjoy!