Roasted butternut squash is pure and simple. Wholesome, velvety, luscious. And it’s so simple to make. Tonight, I roasted and pureed a whole squash in about 40 minutes. I have to admit, I expected it to be a chore — I usually purchase peeled and diced butternut squash in a package for cooking, but my grocery store was out of it. In fact, roasting a whole squash and then pureeing it was easier. I was amazed. Tomorrow I’ll mix two ounces of butternut squash with two ounces of organic apple puree for Mason’s lunch (recipes and how-to steps below!).
How to roast butternut squash
1. Cut organic butternut squash in half, lengthwise. (It doesn’t have to be perfect — as you can see, my squash was unevenly cut.)
2. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
3. Spray a bit of olive oil on a baking sheet, place squash on sheet, and roast on 400 degrees. Check the squash in 30 minutes. If it isn’t soft and scoopable with a spoon, keep adding 5 minutes of roasting time until it is.
4. Remove squash from oven and let cool.
Butternut Squash Puree
Ingredients
1.5 lb Organic butternut squash
Water
Pre-mixed formula, breast milk, or yogurt (optional)
Directions
1. Scoop flesh out of a roasted squash (directions above). Discard the skin.
2. Puree squash flesh in a food processor. Add water until you reach a smooth consistency. For extra creaminess add a splash of pre-mixed formula, breast milk, or plain yogurt.
Yield: 14 ounces for $2.29
Apple Puree
Organic Gala apple
Water
Directions
1. Wash, peel, and dice apple. Cook until tender (about 15 minutes).
2. Reserve some cooking liquid, then plunge cooked apple into ice water for about 3 minutes.
3. Puree cooled apple until smooth.
Yield: 4 ounces per apple for $1.25
The roasted butternut squash can also be paired with sweet potato and if roasted, the sweet potato will be slightly sweeter due to the carmelization of the sugars. A sweet yet nutritious treat for a sweet babe.
Wonderful suggestion, Heather, thank you!