Great Way to Use Leftover Butternut Squash
What the heck do I do with the rest?
Here’s my problem. I bake a butternut squash. I use it in a recipe, I eat it with my dinner, and then I have it again and again. I have it so many days in a row, I’m sick of it. I love butternut squash, but, I can never finish one by myself.
What do you do with food that doesn’t freeze very well but comes in quantities that are too much for you to eat? Throw it in the compost heap? I hate throwing away good food! It’s a total waste.
That’s when I came up with this idea. Just add some leftover veggies and garlic. It’s an easy, tasty meal for lunch.
Best Way to Store Butternut Squash
You bought it. Now, what do you do with it until you’re ready to cook it? Sources say that you should store it in a dark, cool, dry place. The pantry or cupboard should work fine. I usually put mine in the fridge since we have a problem with ants. I usually cook it in a week or two, so it isn’t hogging shelf space for very long.
According to eatbydate.com, it will last 1-3 months whether it’s refrigerated or kept in the pantry. If you’ve got a cut squash (sold in cubes or half slabs), it probably won’t last as long. Be sure to check the fruit and skin for mold before cooking.
Once you cook it, it will keep for about 6 days in the fridge.
It’s perfect! – Microwave or Oven
Glass baking dishes are versatile. They work in the microwave or oven. I prefer glass over plastic in the microwave as it cooks more evenly and it doesn’t break down. Since it works in both types of ovens, you don’t have to have one type of dish for one oven and another for the other.
Produce comes in a variety of sizes. These three baking dishes should fit any fruit or vegetable you want to cook. The set comes with lids for easy storage.
Butternut Squash Sandwich Filling Recipe
This is a quick and easy way to use up leftover squash. One of the easiest things to make with leftovers is a sandwich.
However, if you’ve got an uncooked squash, it’s really easy to cook in the microwave. You don’t even have to peel it first! Let me show you how it’s done in my article.
You can make one sandwich or several depending on how much squash you have. And, there isn’t much to prepare. This is an easy-to-make recipe and it’s vegan to boot!
Cook Time
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ready in: 15 min
Yields: 1
Ingredients
- Cooked Butternut Squash
- Steamed Vegetables (about 1/2 a cup)
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- optional: Half an Avocado mashed
Instructions
- Peel and chop one clove of garlic.
- Take about 4-5 tablespoons of butternut squash. Mash it with a fork to make it soft.
- Add about 1/4 cup of steamed vegetables. Leftover vegetables are perfect. Use whatever combination you enjoy. I made mine with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and spinach.
- Mix it all. Warm in the microwave on high for 1 minute.
- Cut up any large chunks of vegetables. Then, scoop the mixture onto your favorite bread or fill a pita pocket.
- There! You’ve got a butternut squash sandwich!
- Optional: You can add half an avocado to the mix before or after heating if you’ve got one handy.
This is How to Make the Sandwich
Get the squash ready. Rinse the outer skin. Cut to fit your cooking container. This batch is cooked and ready to be peeled. Mix in leftover vegetables. Any leftover veggies you like will do. This is what I had in the fridge. Scoop squash and vegetable mixture onto your favorite bread. No need for a condiment. This squash adds moisture to your sandwich. One delicious sandwich on dark rye bread ready for lunch. Enjoy!
A Whole Lot of Nutrition in That Orange Stuff
Winter Squashes are loaded with nutrients. Butternut Squash is no exception.
- 1 cup mashed contains these nutrients
- 2 grams of Protein
- 100 mg of Calcium
- 1.5 mg of Iron
- 696 mg of Potassium
- 7 grams of Fiber
- 37 mg Vitamin C
- and more!
It doesn’t contain any fat or cholesterol. Get ready to enjoy something healthy!
You can grow it!
I can’t grow it. I’ve got a black thumb. I’ve killed cactus. But, I bet you can grow it.
Butternut Squash is best started from seeds. If you live in a warm climate, you can sow your seeds around late-May. Colder climates should start in April. If you live in a colder climate you probably start your plants indoors in pots.
It takes approximately 10 days to germinate. It needs regular watering, so maybe not the best plant to grow in drought-stricken areas. It should be ready to harvest in about 100 days.
For more information on growing this sweet produce visit gardeningblog.net.
I hope you give my sandwich a try. Anyone else a fan of this delicious fruit?