Steamed Butternut Squash ♥

So what self-respecting vegetable-recipe website takes 2-1/2 years to figure out how to steam winter squash? Oooops.

No question what held me back: I like ten fingers and was unwilling to sacrifice a single one to a squash, no-siree.

Here's the trick - and it took all of six minutes, definitely a good investment of time for how gorgeous steamed winter squash turns out. Better yet? I checked: yep, all fingers present and accounted for.

IN WORDS Slice off the 'neck', first, of a butternut squash (those are the pale brown ones with a round bulb on one end and a long neck) -- not hard with a sharp knife. Then use a vegetable peeler to take off the skin -- or in my case, a knife since the vegetable peeler wasn't up to the job, taking care to keep the neck's flat end of the neck steady on a cutting board, slicing top to bottom. Then cut the neck into rounds about an inch thick, then stack a couple at a time to cut into cubes.

IN PICTURES See how to cut, peel & cube a butternut squash and keep all ten fingers for step-by-step photo illustrations of this technique.

STEAMED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 40 minutes
Serves 4

About 4-pound butternut squash, washed well, neck sliced from main portion (this yields about a pound of squash, you could also cube/cook the rest for later but the cooking time will be longer)

1 tablespoon butter
Salt & pepper

Set water to boil in a steamer. After slicing off the neck, remove the skin of the neck, either by slicing off with a vegetable peeler or a knife. Cut cross-wise into one-inch thick rounds, then two rounds at a time, cut into cubes.

Place in the steamer (if doing more than a pound, may need to do several batches). Cover and let steam until done, about 30 minutes. Drain water, return squash to steamer and toss with butter and seasonings.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 76 Cal (32% from Fat, 6% from Protein, 63% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 13 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb11; 2 g Sugar; 55 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 25 mg Sodium; 8 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka

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MORE FAVORITE WINTER SQUASH RECIPES
~ My Favorite Winter Squash Recipes ~
~ How to Roast a Whole Butternut Squash ~
~ Butternut Mac 'n' Cheese ~
~ Acorn Squash with Mustard & Honey ~
~ Delicata Squash with Hot Pepper Glaze ~
~ more winter squash recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Squash Puff ~
~ Winter Stew ~
~ Acorn Squash with Quinoa & Dried Cherries ~
~ more winter squash recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

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