Baked Pumpkin Or Winter Squash

I use a lot of squash and pumpkin in my diet.  And this is one of my favorite ways to prepare it, as I’m a bit of a lazy cook. You heat up the oven, poke a hole in the pumpkin, place it on cookie sheet, stuff it in the oven and do other things while it cooks. Once the pumpkin is cooked you can use it in soups, stews, puree’s, baking or simply serve with a little butter, cinnamon and maple syrup.

Servings: 6-12

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 45-60 min

Ingredients

• 2 small pie or baking pumpkins or squash of choice (I use this technique with butternut, acorn…all squash)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Wipe down pumpkin skins with damp cloth to remove any excess dirt. Snap or cut off pumpkin stems - no fire hazards, please. With sharp knife, cut 4-5 slits into the pumpkins to prevent them from bursting. No one wants to clean up an exploding pumpkin. Bake pumpkins on cookie sheet for 45-60 minutes or until a knife inserted into their flesh comes out easily. Remove from oven. Once cool you can easily cut the pumpkins oven and remove the seed and strings and the flesh will separate from the skin. Cut, slice or mash depending on your goals. If the variety of pumpkin you chose is very moist, you may need to drain it for your recipe or for storage.

2. If you have a large pumpkin, that is already cut, carved or needs to be chunked up to fit in the oven - cut it up into chunks and place face down in a baking sheet with some water in the bottom, cover with a piece of foil. This is a steaming method. You may choose also to roast the pumpkin by just brushing the flesh with oil or butter. The trick is if the pumpkin is cut open you don't want it to overly dry.

3. Bake pumpkins on cookie sheet for 45-60 minutes or until a knife inserted into their flesh comes out easily. Remove from oven. Once cool you can easily cut the pumpkins oven and remove the seed and strings and the flesh will separate from the skin. Cut, slice or mash depending on your goals. If the variety of pumpkin you chose is very moist, you may need to drain it for your recipe or for storage.

Recipe Notes

Healing Energetics:  Pumpkin and all winter squash are very nourishing and warming to the core, or the Stomach and Spleen.  They drain dampness, provides fiber and helps to regulate blood sugar.  Great for those with very compromised digestions or babies who are just starting out on solids.

Season: Late Summer/Transition, Autumn and Winter.  As an Earth food, pumpkin is appropriate pretty much all year long.