Squashes just instantly make me think of the fall and winter and having warm soups, stews, and baked squash during the holidays. Something about them makes them a true comfort food.

They are also quite nutrient dense! The main ones I am going to talk about are:

Butternut squash which contains high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and more!

Acorn squash which contains high levels of vitamin C, potassium, manganese, thiamine, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin A and more!

Spaghetti squash which contains vitamin A and vitamin C but at lower levels.

Consuming squash can help support immune and prostate health while also supporting skin and eye health and decreasing inflammation. 

How to prepare them:

Butternut squash:

• -add to soup
• -bake with other vegetables
• Acorn squash:
• -bake and stuff with grains and vegetables
• -bake with eggs

Spaghetti squash:

-bake in an oven or crockpot and use a fork to turn the squash into pasta noodles

-bake and make a stuffed spaghetti squash boat

When to get them in Ontario: August to March

Zucchini

Zucchini has become more popular in recent years due to spiralizers. If you don’t know what that is, its a kitchen tool that turns your zucchini and other vegetables into noodles! This is a great alternative to pasta and is also a great way to cut up vegetables for stir frys and salads.

Zucchini is also a great healthy staple to have in your diet because its high in:

• -vitamin C
• -vitamin B6
• -manganese
• -riboflavin
• -potassium
• -folate
• -vitamin K

It is also anti-inflammatory and contains high levels of antioxidants and has been said to support digestive, eye health and other health conditions.

So how do you cook with zucchini?

-add to skewers and grill (see recipe link below)

-steam, freeze and then add to smoothies

-sauté and add to stir frys or grain bowls

-spiralize and use as a pasta alternative

-bake in the oven

-dehydrate into chips

-spiralize and add to salads and other dishes to give it a different texture