Squash Offers Winter Nutrition

When planning dinners this winter, cooks can find a jackpot of nutrition by mining the gold in a seasonal side dish – squash.

TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, recommends healthful side dishes, such as squash, as a way to enjoy dinners in moderation.

Squash is considered by many to be a vegetable used in cooking. However, botanically speaking, squash is a fruit, being the receptacle for the plant's seeds. It is available in several varieties, including butternut, sweet dumpling, acorn, spaghetti, banana, Hubbard and buttercup.

Surprisingly, the rich taste of winter squash adds up to only 80 calories per cup, with just 12 calories from fat. Winter squash is a source of complex carbohydrates and fiber, and also contains potassium, niacin, iron, vitamin C, folate and beta-carotene. As a general rule, the deeper the orange color, the higher the beta-carotene content. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body and is essential for healthy skin, vision, and bone development and maintenance, among other functions.

Rich Variety of Uses

Winter squash can be featured in an array of recipes, baked, boiled, microwaved, sautéed or steamed. Squash halves can be baked as a boat containing fillings such as vegetable and bread stuffing or fruit mixtures.

Mashed squash can be used as an ingredient in pasta, either as part of the sauce or as a filling. In addition, it also can be invigorated with sautéed onion or garlic and herbs, and served as an alternative to mashed potatoes. Any variety of mashed squash can be substituted for canned pumpkin in soup, pie, cookie or bread recipes.

TOPS Club Inc., a nonprofit weight-loss education and support organization, was established more than 61 years ago to champion weight-loss support and success. Founded and headquartered in Milwaukee, TOPS promotes successful weight management with a philosophy that combines healthy eating, regular exercise, wellness education and support from others at weekly chapter meetings. TOPS has about 170,000 members in nearly 10,000 chapters throughout the United States and Canada, and several chapters in Europe.

Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. To find a local chapter, view www.tops.org or call (800) 932-8677.

Tips for Selection and Storage

· Buy firm squashes with dull rinds.
· Protect winter squash from direct light and extreme temperatures.
· Cover cut pieces with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for a maximum of three days.
· Freeze winter squash after cutting into pieces.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups low-sodium, low-fat vegetable broth
One and one-fourth cups non-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons butter
One-fourth teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
Black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Cooking spray
One-fourth cup chives (cut into 1-inch pieces

Bring squash and vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes or until squash is very tender. Let cool, then puree in a blender. Return the puree to saucepan and turn heat to medium-low. Stir in sour cream, butter, cayenne and black pepper to taste. Cook and stir until heated through (do not boil). Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Keep warm over low heat. Meanwhile, heat skillet over moderately high heat until very hot. Sauté mushrooms in cooking spray, stirring until golden brown, about five minutes. Serve soup topped with sautéed mushrooms and chives. Makes eight one-cup servings.