Stop Squashing Your Squash!

Have you gone your entire life claiming to hate certain vegetables dishes you may have been served as a kid? Whether we've had the dish at home, the school cafeteria or a friend's house, we all have at least one. Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, beets, okra and eggplant are on a lot of our lists. However, the one that I could not stand was SQUASH!

Now in the town where I come from, or in the South for that matter, it is not unusual to cook a vegetable beyond recognition. It would not be right if we didn't fry it down in pork fat and throw in a bunch of salt and onions. Now don't get me wrong, "soul food" is very delicious and comforting and my mother is a wonderful cook. She taught me and others most of what we know. I just did not have a love affair with her stewed squash. I have also witnessed others preparing it the same way.

The method was indigenous of the town in which we lived. It looked just like what it was called. SQUAASHHH! When I ate it, I could only taste greasy onions. I could not taste the sweet vegetable itself. My mom would have to sit on my chest and make me eat it. Hot sauce, you've saved me many days!

Now that I am all grown up, I have learned the correct and healthy way to cook vegetables and enjoy them. To get the most flavor and nutritional value from my vegetables, I either roast, sautee, or steam them for a few minutes. I like to do vegetable blends, like a California Mix, with brocoli, squash, cauliflower and carrots. The colorful mix of vegetables is not only visually appetizing but also very delicious together.

Then I add whatever herbs or spices I desire in order to enhance, not mask the vegetables true flavor and color. That's it! It's a lot less work and it taste a heck of a lot better. Now I can enjoy all that good stuff that I would not eat when I was a child.

Now that I am older, I am starting to put my health into perspective. I still love my southern cuisine, but now that I have a new found love for my veggies, I may become a vegetarian. Who knows? So bring on the string beans,the okra, the squash and the brussel sprouts. I can deal with them!