The Gluten-Free Homemaker

Ellen Allard (I Am Gluten Free and Gluten Free Diva) is a freelance food writer and recipe developer specializing in gluten free recipes. She teaches gluten free baking and cooking classes that help empower people to learn to live a happy and healthy gluten free life. She is also part of a nationally touring musical duo with her husband.  They perform concerts for young children and families and present keynotes for Early Childhood teachers on the importance of music for young children.
I challenge myself now and then to try new vegetables. It’s so easy to fall back on the same old same old. Don’t you agree? I’d never heard of kabocha squash until a few months ago. But man oh man, it called my name, sitting there in the produce section at one of our local health food stores. If I hadn’t been willing to try it, I wouldn’t have discovered how much I love it. Move over butternut squash. Shove over acorn squash. Sorry. I know you might think me fickle, but the buttery, rich, smooth, insanely intense flavor of your cousin the kabocha squash is just too much to resist. 

Here’s what I don’t get. Why don’t the conventional supermarkets carry it? Why the heck are they only carrying butternut and acorn squash? Oh, I’ve seen a delicata here and there, but never a kabocha. I will have to make it a point to talk to the produce manager the next time I’m there. 

So, tell me. What’s your favorite squash? 

Sweet & Savory Kabocha Squash

recipe by Ellen Allard

• 1 medium-sized kabocha (pronounced ka-boo-cha) squash
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp wheat-free tamari
• 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• pinch of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the olive oil, tamari, agave or maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, mixing thoroughly. Set aside.
Using a cleaver or very sharp butcher knife, cut the squash in half through stem. Remove seeds and pith. Take each half, turn so that open side is face down. Using cleaver, cut kabocha squash into half-rings. It helps to sink the cleaver gently into the squash and then rock the cleaver back and forth until it cuts through the squash.

Place the half-rings of squash onto a baking pan. Brush the top of each ring with the oil mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

This is the last week of Squash Fest.  A big thank you to the participating bloggers!  You can see the previous Squash Fest posts here:

• Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• How to Roast Butternut Squash
• Butternut Squash Dessert
• Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Cushaw Pecan Pie
• Apple & Walnut Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo
• Acorn Squash Stuffing

Labels: Squash Fest