I spy with my little eye a place where multiple rows of farm fresh produce from sun-ripened tomatoes, fresh picked apples, nuts, dried fruit, bright colored flowers, lettuce crisp and fresh, the leanest cuts of meats, the finest fish from the sea, fresh baked goods, tangy cheeses, and tropical fruits. Answer: A big-box supermarket store. What? Seriously? Don’t be a smart-ass! Correct Answer: Your local farmer’s market.

[Look past the pumpkins and you'll see squash in all shapes and sizes. I love the vibrant colors in this photo.]

There is nothing like walking through a market during this time year because of the variety of fruits and vegetables available. One vegetable in particular that stands out from the crowd is squash because of the many different colors, sizes, and shapes in comes in. For these very same reasons though people seem to be generally confused and intimidated by the idea of bringing one home.

Today, we’ll venture outside of our vegetable comfort zone and take a closer look at how you can slice and dice squash onto your kitchen table.

The nutritional facts…

Squash is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is also a good source of vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium and magnesium, and a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and manganese (Source: Nutritiondata.com). In short, squash is a fantastic food option for those interested in better health and losing fat.

What to look for when buying squash

At this time of year it’s really hard to go wrong because freshness is at it’s peak. However, when buying squash look and feel for dry, hard, tough-looking skins with no soft spots or bruises. There’s no need to act like an Italian grandfather playing knock knock with all the watermelons over in the next stall. That myth need not apply here.

Winter squash types and applications

Here is a manageable list of the squash varieties that you can expect to find down at your local farmer’s market:

Butternut – It’s probably the most popular and versatile of the squash varieties because of it’s very sweet and nutty taste. Because of it’s moist flesh it can be roasted or toasted but usually you’ll find it pureed into delicious soups or casseroles.

Kabocha – Medium in size and shaped like a flattened globe with dark green, bumpy skin. It’s orange flesh is dense, dry but still very sweet. When your looking for something a little “meatier” then this type is your choice particularly for asian style dishes where absorption of Thai or Indian flavors are important.

Spaghetti – Oblong in shape with smooth yellow skin, it’s a gluten free friendly food for those who struggle with the effects of wheat, barley, and other gluten sources. If you’re little uneasy about the task of cutting open a squash like the spaghetti, then several people suggest putting it in the microwave for a minute in order to cut through the skin. I enjoy slicing the squash into wedges placing them into a steaming basket over boiling water for 20 minutes. After the steam, toss in some pesto sauce and you have an excellent pasta dish substitute.

Acorn – Small in size and shaped as an acorn, they’re dark green and orange with a deeply ridged skin. It’s most commonly baked, but can also be microwaved, sauteed, and steamed.

Delicata – Medium in size, elongated with a cream-colored skin striped with orange and green, it’s also referred to as sweet potato squash. You can eat the outer skin and will find the flesh is creamy and has a sweet corn-like flavor.

Buttercup -  Medium in size, with a drum-shaped with dark green skin marked with gray. Its orange flesh is dense, dry and sweet. Much like the Butternut squash, you will usually find it mashed into a soup especially in the cuisine of countries located in the southern hemisphere.

You can find loads of recipes on how to prepare a soup from squash, so I thought it best to share one for baking occasions.

West Indian Chicken and Squash Recipe

Makes 6 servings

* 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil – most recipes will call for vegetable oil
* 2 cups (500 mL) chopped onion
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tbsp (15 mL) tomato paste
* 4 tsp (20 mL) mild curry powder
* 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves, nutmeg, or cinnamon (it’s completely optional, don’t worry)
* 3 cups (750 mL) chopped tomatoes
* 2 cups (500 mL) chopped sweet red and yellow pepper
* 1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken broth
* 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) chicken drumsticks and boneless chicken thighs (skinless of course)
* 4 cups (1 L) peeled squash (butternut is a great choice here), cut into 1/2-inch (1.2-cm) cubes
* Salt and pepper

In a Dutch oven, a camp oven (my Aussie friends know what this is), or a casserole dish heat oil over medium heat.

Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, curry powder and cloves and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in tomatoes, red and yellow peppers and broth; bring to boil over high heat. Add chicken and squash; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and squash is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can I have a bowl when it’s ready? Thanks!

I found the approximate nutrition per serving from a similar recipe in an old cook book: 436 calories, 17 g fat, 40 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber

But I would say my recipe scores higher on the health scale since older recipes call for vegetable oil and don’t specify skinless chicken pieces. If your looking for more foods that taste great and help you lose weight then check out our Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle review. Tom Venuto’s discussion on nutrition and whole foods is worth a serious read.