When Scott and I first moved in together, he had a lengthy list of foods he didn’t like.
But as I discovered while overcoming my own childhood picky eating habits as a young adult, my husband didn’t actually dislike most of those foods themselves, but the way they were prepared.
So we banished soggy vegetables and anything mushy from the table and his list of foods he enjoyed grew substantially.
However, for both of us, there are still a few things that remain on our do-not-like lists. I can’t stand pickles, licorice, or fennel. He balks at avocados, mushrooms, and squash.
Even this squash.
We have yet to see where Marcus will stand on a lot of these foods {because he pretty much eats anything these days} but while we’re encouraging him to try as many things as he’s up for, we’re also modeling to him that it’s genuinely okay to not like certain foods.
That’s one of the great things about serving meals family style and letting people build their own plates – you take what you want, you can try a little or a lot, and what’s left gets packed up and put away for those who do enjoy it.
So far, I’ve had this maple-glazed delicata squash to myself except for the bits Marcus steals. We’ll see how his taste buds resolve. I’m okay with sharing it with him, because it’s my absolutely favorite winter squash. And if he likes it, I have even more excuse to cook it.
These baked maple-glazed squash rings are a great accompaniment to any meal or can be snacked on by themselves. I’ve served them as part of a holiday spread, but I also like serving them alongside pork chops or chopped up and mixed in with sweet Italian sausage, spinach, apples, caramelized onions, and orzo.
Prepped with this maple glaze, you can sub them in a lot of recipes where you’d use diced sweet potato.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a delicious, light, tasty, and somewhat unexpected fall side dish, give this one a go!
Maple Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash
Serves 6-8.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 medium delicata squash
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
How to Make It:
1. Preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Slice each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds {you can reserve the seeds for planting ** instructions below}. Cut the squash into 1 inch half-rounds and spread over the foil-lined pan.
3. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn, and drizzle with more olive oil and the maple syrup. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
4. Serve and enjoy!
NOTE: To plant the seeds you scrape out of a delicata {or really any squash}, start by soaking the seeds and any pulp that comes out with them in a bucket in water. Allow the mix to ferment for 2-4 days to separate the good seeds from bad. Good will sink to the bottom of the bucket and bad seeds and pulp will float. Spread the good seeds on a screen or paper towel and dry completely, then store them in a glass jar or envelope. Store in the freezer for two days to kill off any residual bacteria, and then keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to plant them.
What’s your favorite kind of squash to enjoy?
