NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
October 26, 2000
Inspired by the classic children's book "The Carrot Seed," I planted pumpkins, squash, carrots and tomato plants with my two kids, ages 5 and 2, this past summer. As in the book, the garden was a curiosity that inspired some patience as Thomas and Grace checked and watered their plants almost daily.
When the plants popped into view, our abundant supply of rabbits hopped into the garden. Soon the tender carrot tops and most of the tomato plants were history. The squash plants, which were spared, produced no fruit. Fortunately we did grow a few pumpkins. There's always next year.
Children can learn new skills in math, science and language from gardening and food-related activities. For example, they might count the seeds, help measure rows and name the fruit or vegetables being planted. Helping plant a garden -- or select fruits and vegetables from a grocery store or farmer's market -- may inspire healthier eating, too. Research has shown that children who help prepare healthy foods are more likely to try those foods. And children, like adults, are falling short of the recommendation for eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
In the kitchen, toddlers can help wash fruits and vegetables, and older children can help measure and stir ingredients. Here's a recipe for all the squash I wish we'd grown. It's tasty, easy to make and makes use of another fall favorite: apples.
Apple-filled SquashIngredients:
1 buttercup squash
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 medium apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamonProcedure:
Halve squash lengthwise; remove seeds. Spray large baking dish. Place squash cut side down. Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes. Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, ginger and cinnamon. Remove squash from oven and turn right side up in baking dish. Fill centers with apple mixture and dot with butter. Bake until squash is tender and apples are soft, about 25 minutes. Slice each half into three pieces. Makes six servings.
A serving of Apple-filled Squash contains about 120 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of dietary fiber, a full day's supply of vitamin A (as beta carotene) and 30 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin C.
Moms have been right all along about eating plenty of vegetables (and fruits). Many studies have shown that a produce-rich diet that's also low in saturated fat can reduce our risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. For example, one study reported lower cancer deaths among elderly who ate fruits and vegetables high in carotenoid pigments. Carotenoid pigments give carrots and squash their characteristic orange or gold color. Sometimes carotenoid pigments are hidden by green chlorophyll pigments, as in Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Lycopenes are carotenoid pigments that color tomatoes red. The human body can convert 50 of the 500 known carotenoid pigments into vitamin A
"Squash" comes from a Native American word for "eaten raw." Botanically, squash is a fruit and a relative of melons, cucumbers, and gourds. Squash history dates back to 9,000 B.C. to the Andes Mountains of South America. The ancient varieties were different from modern types, and many believe early squash were grown to serve as rattles for ceremonial dances or for dishes or storage containers.
Carotenoid-rich Squash includes both summer and winter varieties. Zucchini is a famous, and prolific, summer squash variety. Buttercup, butternut, hubbard, turban, spaghetti, banana and acorn are all winter squash varieties. When selecting squash, look for a hard dull shell, free of cracks. Choose squash that's heavy for its size, and avoid squash with tender, shiny rinds.
Buttercup squash should be fairly round with a flat or turban top and a dull dark green rind. Store them at in a dark, well-ventilated place at about 50 degrees. Squash can be steamed, baked, boiled or sautéed. A 2-pound squash will yield about 4 cups or 8 one-half cup servings. Serve squash alone or in soups, stews or casseroles.
Squash seeds make a tasty snack, too. After rinsing and drying them, spread them on an oiled pan and bake for an hour at 250 degrees. Brown the seeds slightly by raising the oven temperature to 400 degrees during the last 5 minutes. Season the seeds as desired with seasoned salt, garlic salt or salt-free seasoning.
We'll try planting a garden again, with a fence next time. Maybe, like the little boy in "The Carrot Seed", we'll grow a wheel-barrow sized carrot. Or at least one squash.
###
Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629