I've been trying a lot of different winter squashes (last year I tried
butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash and loved them). This year I've
tried two more types, Kabocha and Delicata.

Kabocha is the sweetest squash I've ever eaten, it tastes a lot better
than butternut, and I thought butternut was a sweet vegetable!

I love to eat it baked in the microwave straight out of the shell
(after removing seeds and strings). The seeds are large and tasted ok
when I roasted them but I had a lot more luck with the delicata seeds,
which were smaller and came out much better, and crunchier.

The delicata is so easy to seed, because it's small and when I split
it in half it had a cavity on each side that I could run a spoon
through once or twice to remove most of the seeds.

Even the rind was edible on the delicata because it became soft in the
microwave (I don't know if this is a good idea to eat or not, but it
wasn't bad tasting).

I just thought I'd share some of my adventures through the produce
section of HEB.

My sister has shown an interest in spaghetti squash this week because
she saw Dr. Phil eating some on tv, so I'm going to help her make
some. This should be fun.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
I've been trying a lot of different winter squashes (last year I tried
butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash and loved them). This year I've
tried two more types, Kabocha and Delicata.

Delicata and spaghetti are my favorites.

Kabocha is the sweetest squash I've ever eaten, it tastes a lot better
than butternut, and I thought butternut was a sweet vegetable!

I love to eat it baked in the microwave straight out of the shell
(after removing seeds and strings). The seeds are large and tasted ok
when I roasted them but I had a lot more luck with the delicata seeds,
which were smaller and came out much better, and crunchier.

The delicata is so easy to seed, because it's small and when I split
it in half it had a cavity on each side that I could run a spoon
through once or twice to remove most of the seeds.

Even the rind was edible on the delicata because it became soft in the
microwave (I don't know if this is a good idea to eat or not, but it
wasn't bad tasting).

I doubt it'll hurt you on occasional, but that's some pretty tough fiber
even after it's softened up. I wouldn't eat too much of it. Also, some
vendors put a wax on the skin. That may not be so good for you.

I just thought I'd share some of my adventures through the produce
section of HEB.

If you haven't made a trip over to Central Market yet, I highly
recommend it. CM is a higher-end fresh food market run by HEB. You have
to see the produce area to believe it, and the prices are pretty much in
line with standard HEB (sometimes a little higher, sometimes less). None
of the produce is warehoused, so it's a lot fresher. The one in Houston
is at Westheimer and Wesleyan. I know it's a long drive for you, but I
think it's worth it.

http://www.centralmarket.com/cm/cmAboutProduce.jsp

My sister has shown an interest in spaghetti squash this week because
she saw Dr. Phil eating some on tv, so I'm going to help her make
some. This should be fun.

Spaghetti squash is very nice. I like it just scraped out of the skin
with a bit of nutmeg, salt, and pepper (that's how I usually prepare
winter squashes unless I make soups or fillings for ravioli). You can
put some butter or margarine on it, but I think it messes up the mild
and subtle flavors of the squash.

PS: Why on earth do you watch Dr Phil?

usual suspect wrote in message ...

I doubt it'll hurt you on occasional, but that's some pretty tough fiber
even after it's softened up. I wouldn't eat too much of it. Also, some
vendors put a wax on the skin. That may not be so good for you.

Ah ok thanks. I wash off the squash before I start cutting them so
that the knife won't drag dirty stuff inside so hopefully that washed
away most of the wax if there was any.

If you haven't made a trip over to Central Market yet, I highly
recommend it. CM is a higher-end fresh food market run by HEB. You have
to see the produce area to believe it, and the prices are pretty much in
line with standard HEB (sometimes a little higher, sometimes less). None
of the produce is warehoused, so it's a lot fresher. The one in Houston
is at Westheimer and Wesleyan. I know it's a long drive for you, but I
think it's worth it.

http://www.centralmarket.com/cm/cmAboutProduce.jsp

I hadn't even heard of that before, probably because it's across town,
but when I get a chance I'll go check it out. I hope they have some
stuff I've never seen before!

Spaghetti squash is very nice. I like it just scraped out of the skin
with a bit of nutmeg, salt, and pepper (that's how I usually prepare
winter squashes unless I make soups or fillings for ravioli).

Yeah I usually put nutmeg, salt and pepper on the ones I eat too.

You can
put some butter or margarine on it, but I think it messes up the mild
and subtle flavors of the squash.

Yeah, that's true. It's good both ways though.

PS: Why on earth do you watch Dr Phil?

My sister started watching him every day so now I've watched him some
too. I don't agree with everything he says but it's kind of helped me
when he's been talking to some of those people who are trying to lose
weight.

-Rubystars

Rubystars wrote:
I doubt it'll hurt you on occasional, but that's some pretty tough fiber
even after it's softened up. I wouldn't eat too much of it. Also, some
vendors put a wax on the skin. That may not be so good for you.

Ah ok thanks. I wash off the squash before I start cutting them so
that the knife won't drag dirty stuff inside so hopefully that washed
away most of the wax if there was any.

More of it's likely to evaporate in the microwave or oven.

If you haven't made a trip over to Central Market yet, I highly
recommend it. CM is a higher-end fresh food market run by HEB. You have
to see the produce area to believe it, and the prices are pretty much in
line with standard HEB (sometimes a little higher, sometimes less). None
of the produce is warehoused, so it's a lot fresher. The one in Houston
is at Westheimer and Wesleyan. I know it's a long drive for you, but I
think it's worth it.

http://www.centralmarket.com/cm/cmAboutProduce.jsp

I hadn't even heard of that before, probably because it's across town,
but when I get a chance I'll go check it out. I hope they have some
stuff I've never seen before!

Take your time. The produce area is amazing, but the rest of the store
is just as impressive. I took my mother, sister, and aunt over there
when they opened (neither of our CMs have valet parking, so that was a
novelty for me) and I couldn't get them out of the store.

snip
I was gonna say some unflattering things about Dr Phil, but I'm glad he
has some people motivated to lose weight. Some of his ideas are even
pretty good.