Fit Fare

Truth be told, I am not the cook in this family. I write for a living and write for fun on my personal blog when I’m not at work. I’m a wife and mother of two, and have been for many years. But I’m still rather uncomfortable in the kitchen.My dear husband, Ralph, who uses a wheelchair, is the chef around here. Together we can put together a meal for the family, and often have fun in the process. I think of myself as his assistant. That way, if it doesn’t come out right, well…I am not the responsible party.

However, since I selected this recipe for acorn squash rings to prepare for this month’s entry for Fit Fare, I guess I’m up.

I’ve never made acorn squash before. I‘ve cooked summer squash and baked zucchini bread, but that is about all the experience I’ve had with the squash family.

I just finished slicing the rings – not an easy task but I refrained from asking my teen-aged son, who is much stronger than I, to help. Score one for the cook.

I came across this recipe on www.About.com and it sounded interesting. And the acorn squash is in season! A perfect harvest-time dish. Low-fat too!

Here’s the recipe I am using from www.About.com.

Acorn Squash Rings
serves 4

2 acorn squash
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup orange marmalade (I used Smucker’s All Fruit – yum!)
1 tsp ground ginger

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice top and bottom from each squash and discard ends. Carefully slice each acorn squash into four rings, making eight rings in all.

Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Lay rings on cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Combine maple syrup, marmalade and ginger in a small bowl.

Remove squash rings from oven and brush with maple syrup mixture. Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with glaze once again. Bake for 10 minutes, or until tender.

Per Serving: Calories 211, Calories from Fat 2, Total Fat 0.2g (sat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 20mg, Carbohydrate 50.4g, Fiber 3.5g, Protein 1.9g

Ralph and I taste-tested these rings and they are delicious. The recipe would make a perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner, or as an accompaniment to your leftover meals after the holidays.