A Simple Technique for Cooking Squash
Eating grain-free presents enough challenges, so I try to keep my recipes simple and to-the-point. The less steps in the recipe and the less bowls I dirty the better! That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy occasionally making complex creations in the kitchen, but that is when finals for my online courses aren’t looming… i.e. not right now!
I used this technique for butternut squash a while ago. I recently tried it for acorn squash and, although I had to adjust the cooking time, it worked like a charm!
Crockpot Acorn Squash
Wash and carefully cut your acorn squash in half. This is the hardest part — those buggers are tricky to open! Scoop out the innards. Place the squash cut-side up in a slow cooker, stacking them like in the picture. I could fit 4 halves in my Crockpot. Pour 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the pot. Don’t let the water get into the squash cavities, though. Cook on HIGH for about 3 hours, until tender. Cool and separate from the skin. Voila! Creamy acorn squash pureé (or mashed acorn squash, whatever you want to call it).
How to Serve Crockpot Acorn Squash
My favorite way to serve crockpot acorn squash pureé? Again, super simple: In a saucepan, I warm the squash with liberal amounts of butter and salt. That’s it! A dash of honey revs up the sweetness, if desired. If I want to spend an extra five minutes, I’ll brown the butter first (how to brown butter).
I am not so lucky, but if you have fresh sage on hand, roughly chop it, brown it in butter, and sprinkle over the golden squash. Pure and rustic elegance!
More Serving Suggestions:
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Use crockpot acorn squash for a creamy squash soup
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Substitute it for pumpkin in pies or baked goods
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Mash with roasted garlic and a bit of yogurt for a creamy dip
Eat well and heal!™
I have some crockpot acorn squash in my fridge now. Do you have any other serving suggestions? What should I try?
shared at: Thank Your Body Thursday, Grateful GAPS
Thanks for sharing on the Grateful GAPS Holiday Blog Hop! I usually do my squash in the oven but the crock pot is a great idea. Since we don’t have anywhere to store squash through the winter we usually end up cooking up huge batches in the fall and then freezing it to use in cooking breads, puddings, etc throughout the year.
-Joy
Hi Joy! I agree–frozen squash is great to have on hand for all sorts of goodies!
Such a great method. Man, now I love my crockpot even more! (And that’s saying something.)
Thanks for linking up to Thank Your Body Thursday! Hope you’ll come back this next Thursday! http://www.thankyourbody.com
If I cook them for less time, can I cut out squash chunks?
I don’t know–I find the squash skin keeps the flesh from sitting in the water and getting too soggy.
Hi Lauren,
I too battle UC..I’ve been on GAPS, seriously, for about a month. Before this, 3 months of not being totally committed. How long before you realized you could introduce foods such as butternut squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc without getting diaherra ? Did it take you a while to get your colon healed enough to introduce different foods? Thank you so much for your awesome website…