Christmas is so close you can almost smell it (who’s had brussel sprouts?) and with only two more sleeps to go, you’ve probably started to think about what’s cooking (apart from turkey) on the Big Day itself.
If you don’t know your butternut squash from your borlotti beans then read our occassional series “We Love Veg” and remeber that all Ruby Red products are 100% vegetarian, available here: http://www.rubyredcosmetics.co.uk/shop.php
There are so many squashes, with so many daft names: Sweet Dumpling, Pattypan, Yellow Crookneck. Courgettes, pumpkins, marrows and our good friend the butternut squash (see piccy). They can roughly be divided into winter and summer squashes. How very seasonal!
Summer squashes can be eaten whole, skin and all (like the courgette) whereas winter squashes develop more flavour by being allowed to mature on the vine and thus have a thicker skin, which helps them stay fresher for longer. And you can call them names and they won’t cry. Much.
Butternut squash (from Australia) is a vegetable that can be roasted and toasted or pureed or mashed (poor blighter) into soups, casseroles, breads and muffins. It makes a tasty winter warmer soup and can also be cooked on a BBQ, wrapped in foil with spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. Mmmm!
They’re a good source of fibre, vitamins C&A (not the 80s clothing outlet), magnesium and potassium. What’s not to love?!
The name “squash” comes from the Massachusett Indian word “askutasquash”, which means ‘eaten raw’. Things are generally better when you don’t boil the life out of them, cos they retain all their nutrients and goodness that way. That’s why we don’t heat any of ingredients at Ruby Red for pure, natural goodness – you are what your skin eats, after all.
our butternut squashes
