I love sharing unique Holidays featuring food with you and I would like to ask you a question. Did you know September 7th is National Acorn Squash Day #AcornSquashDay? Have you ever had Acorn Squash? If so and you prepared the dish how did you prepare the Squash because Acorn Squash? Should we wait until Winter and make the Soup recipe I shared with you below:
I wanted to ask you another questions. Have you ever thought of Squash on a cool Summer day, and no, we aren’t talking about the sport, we’re talking about National Acorn Squash Day on September 7th? Did you know Acorn Squash is also known as Pepper Squash or Des Moines Squash and i?
Acorn Squash can be prepared as Zucchini Squash and Crookneck Squash. Its vibrant color and sweet taste make for an appealing carb option, and Acorn Squash is not only delicious but Acorn Squash is packed with nutrients.
Most Fruits always seem to have that balance of satisfying your sweet tooth, while supplying your body with a bounty of nutrients. Squash is one of the Fruits that possess that quality effortlessly. However, today isn’t the celebration of just any Squash, but the Acorn Squash in particular.
Acorn Squash is indigenous to North and Central America and was introduced to early European settlers by Native Americans. Acorn Squash is a type of Winter Squash that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae or Gourd family, which includes Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, and Zucchini.
The Acorn Squash resembles an Acorn, which usually weighs between one to two pounds, and grows between four and seven inches long. Acorn Squash varies in color from dark green to white. However, the most commonly grown varieties are dark green and often have a patch of bright orange towards the top.
Acorn Squash has sweet, yellow-orange flesh that has a slightly nutty flavor. Did you know Acorn Squash can be baked, microwaved, sautéed, or steamed. Some cooks like to stuff Acorn Squash with Rice, Meat, Cheeses, or Vegetable mixtures.
Did you know you can also toast the seeds of the Acorn Squash much like Pumpkin Seeds. Acorn Squash is also a good source of dietary fiber and potassium, as well as smaller amounts of Vitamins C and B, Magnesium, and Manganese. It is difficult to trace the origin of the celebration, but National Acorn Squash Day is celebrated every September 7th.
National Acorn Squash Day Activities
- There are so many ways to enjoy a Acorn Squash but if your not sure how to cook it then you can pick up a cookbook or research recipes to prepare Acorn Squash.
- With so many delicious health benefits on meal options, the choices of creating an amazing dish from Acorn Squash are numerous. You could also share your meals via the hashtag #AcornSquashDayRecipes.
- Plant an acorn squashAcorn squashes are relatively easy to grow. Research on the cultivation processes of the fruit, and go out and purchase those seeds.
- Learn more about itLearn more about the fruit, its nutritional benefits, cultivation processes, and how it can be consumed. You can share your findings on social media using the hashtags #AllAboutAcornSquash and #AcornSquashDay.
Facts About Acorn Squash
- Did you know one half-cup serving of cooked Acorn Squash contains 9% of your recommended daily dose of Vitamin A, and then there’s the vitamin A that your body synthesizes from Acorn Squash’s alpha- and beta-carotene.
- Acorn squash provides one of the best possible ratios of heart-healthy vitamins to calories and can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Studies have shown that the beta-carotene in Acorn Squash, along with other similar nutrients, can help protect the skin from Sun damage and related Cancers.
- Acorn Squash helps regulate the levels of blood sugar in the body, thereby helping to prevent the development of diabetes and maintaining stable glucose levels.
- Acorn Squash is a great source of vitamin C, which may be one of the best ways to boost your immune system and help stimulate the production of white blood cells that defend the body from pathogens and other unwanted germs/microbes.
Why People Love National Acorn Squash Day
- We are all guilty of shying away from the responsibility of eating healthier and adding more fruits and vegetables to our diets. However, National Acorn Squash Day gives us the perfect reason to indulge with no excuses.
- Squash fruits and Acorn Squash in particular hold so much nutritional value that a lot of people may or may not even know about. On National Acorn Squash Day, we can fully understand the benefits of adding Squash to our meal preps.
- Trying out new Acorn Squash recipes is a great way to celebrate National Squash Day and it is a perfect opportunity to broaden your cooking skills and taste healthy dishes.
Recipe for Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
- water, as needed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Arrange squash cut-side down in a baking dish. Pour enough water into the baking dish to cover the bottom.
- Bake squash in the preheated oven until easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool until easily handled. Scoop flesh into a bowl and set aside.
- Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour chicken stock into the pot; stir in squash and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Fill blender halfway with soup mixture. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth and return to pot.
- Stir in half-and-half, nutmeg, and cinnamon; season with salt and pepper. Thin the soup with water if desired.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
