(subtitle: what to eat when you don't like something that is good for you)
Today's post has been something that has been in the conception stages for a while. I was prompted to put it together today when I was at a friend's house for breakfast and one of the offerings were bananas, which I politely declined. I don't like them. At all. I haven't ever. Apparently I did like them as a child, but my first memory of a banana was being made to eat one with a brown spot in it. A perfectly normal parent move, but it just stuck with me and I cannot ever remember eating a banana. From time to time, I will try to take a bite and it just never gets past my tongue. I just don't like them. And yes, I know how good they are for me.
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, fiber, and manganese. But since I have no desire to ever eat a banana, it's important to consume other foods with the same vitamins and minerals.
An excellent replacement nutritionally are winter squashes, such as acorn and butternut. These squashes are high in vitamin C, B6, fiber, and manganese as well as Vitamin A. We are encouraged by this because last summer, we had a bumper crop of volunteer acorn squash as a result of our vigilant composting.
(an aside, last summer, we couldn't figure out what seemed to be taking over our garden, but kept waiting to see what sort of plant it was... imagine my joy when I harvested about 12 acorn squashes that I never planted!)
Not to mention, it's a lot easier to grow acorn squash in Ohio than bananas! Heck, it grew without me even trying!
In keeping with our theme of finding good substitutes for foods you don't like, even if they are good for you, we want to share a great recipe for Acorn Squash Bread, instead of Banana Bread adapted from the healthy eating blog, Put That Cookie Down Now.
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup mashed acorn squash
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts, toasted first
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup fresh/frozen chopped cranberries (do not thaw frozen cranberries, just chop and add to recipe).
In a large bowl, mix oil and sugar together. Add eggs, and milk and mix well. Stir in squash and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Add baking soda and baking powder. Stir to mix. Blend in chopped nuts and dried cranberries. Spread batter into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing.
An excellent replacement nutritionally are winter squashes, such as acorn and butternut. These squashes are high in vitamin C, B6, fiber, and manganese as well as Vitamin A. We are encouraged by this because last summer, we had a bumper crop of volunteer acorn squash as a result of our vigilant composting.(an aside, last summer, we couldn't figure out what seemed to be taking over our garden, but kept waiting to see what sort of plant it was... imagine my joy when I harvested about 12 acorn squashes that I never planted!)
Not to mention, it's a lot easier to grow acorn squash in Ohio than bananas! Heck, it grew without me even trying!
In keeping with our theme of finding good substitutes for foods you don't like, even if they are good for you, we want to share a great recipe for Acorn Squash Bread, instead of Banana Bread adapted from the healthy eating blog, Put That Cookie Down Now.
Acorn Squash Quick Bread With Cranberries and Chopped Nuts
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup mashed acorn squash
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts, toasted first
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup fresh/frozen chopped cranberries (do not thaw frozen cranberries, just chop and add to recipe).
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).In a large bowl, mix oil and sugar together. Add eggs, and milk and mix well. Stir in squash and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Add baking soda and baking powder. Stir to mix. Blend in chopped nuts and dried cranberries. Spread batter into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing.
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