How to Buy, Cook, and Eat Squash?Great Carb Substitute

If the past few years have brought us a single Bam! Vegetable, it's got to be squash. This humble root has been turning up in every form imaginable across menus of all ethnic origins, from Italian ravioli to Caribbean soup to Thai dumplings and even cake!

But there's another unglamorous but very creative role we recently discovered for squash: a grain substitute. Squash is surprisingly effective at filling in for rice, pasta, or potatoes and could be a welcome substitute for those dealing with celiac or gluten sensitivities.

Buying Tips

- Organic squash tastes better and is worth the effort and expense required to find and buy it.

- Butternut squash is richest when its color is darkest orange. More color = more flavor.

- Buttercup squash tastes good ugly. Look for exteriors covered with gnarly bumps and growths.

Alter-grain Serving Tips

- Pasta: Spaghetti squash makes an awesome pasta substitute as evidenced by Emeril's recipe!. And it's so easy to bake a whole squash, cut in half and placed facedown on a parchment lined baking sheet in a 400° oven for an hour or so. This recipe is delicious as is or even with a ladle of marinara.

- Fries: Cut squash (we recommend Butternut or Buttercup) into strips or wedges. Coat with olive oil and your favorite seasonings, including a dash of sea salt. Bake at 400

- Rice: Well, sort of. The point is you can serve your favorite stir fry, sauce, or stew over a bed of baked squash instead of rice for a flavorful change of pace. To bake squash, just cut it in half and bake in oven facedown for 30-45 minutes on 400

This post was inspired by Emeril Green.