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HowtoNoHowtoNourisurishWithhWith w i n t e rw i n t e r s q u s q u a s ha s h

BroughttoyoubyVivaVegetables

AUtahStateUniversityExtensionandNutritionandFoodSciencesDepartmentcampaign

ThegoaloftheHowtoNourishWithlessonseriesistoprovideadultsandolderchildrenwithhelpfulinformationanddemonstrationsaboutselecting,preparing,cookingwith,andstoringvegetables.Thisbasicknowledgemayencouragefamiliestoincludevegetablesmoreoftenasamainstayoffamilymealsandsnacks.

Objectives:1. Adultswillexplainahealthbenefitprovidedbywintersquash.2. Adultswillexplainhowtoselectwintersquash.3. Adultswilldiscusscostandtimeeffectivestrategiesforincorporatingwintersquashintofamilymeals.4. Adultswilldiscusspreparationandstoragetechniquesofwintersquash,includingcleaning,trimming,

cooking,andstoring5. Adultswillmakeandtastefoodthatincludeswintersquash.

TotalTime:~1hourNOTE:Thislessonisbesttaughtwhenwintersquashisinseason(fall,winter).Materials

• Acornsquash,cutinhalf• Pumpkin,cutinhalf• Butternutsquash,cutinhalf• Spaghettisquash,cutinhalf• Turbansquash,cutinhalf• Hubbardsquash,cutinhalf• Copiesofhandouts• Ingredientsfortherecipes• Appropriateutensils,etc.toserverecipes

PreparationRequired• Preheatovento350°toroastseeds• Cutstripsofbutternutsquashforbutternutsquashfries

MeaganLatimerMS,RD;TamaraVitaleMS,RDUSUDieteticsStudents

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• Getpricesfordifferenttypesofwintersquashatthelocalgrocerystoreormarkettosharewiththeclass.

ThismaterialwasfundedbyUSDA'sFoodStampProgram.TheFoodStampProgramprovidesnutritionassistancetopeoplewithlowincome.Itcanhelpyoubuynutritiousfoodsforabetterdiet.Tofindoutmore,call1‐800‐221‐5689orvisitonlineatUhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/coalition/map.htmU.InaccordancewithFederallawandU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture'spolicy,thisinstitutionisprohibitedfromdiscriminatingonthebasisofrace,color,nationalorigin,sex,age,religion,politicalbeliefsordisability.Thisinstitutionisanequalopportunityproviderandemployer.Tofileacomplaintofdiscrimination,writeUSDA,DirectorofCivilRights,Room326‐W,WhittenBuilding,1400IndependenceAvenue,SW,Washington,D.C.20250orcall(202)720‐5964(voiceandTDD).USDAisanequalopportunityproviderandemployer.

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LESSONPLAN

***Putthebutternutsquashfriesintheoven***Introduction:WelcomeandintrospectiveactivityTime:5minutes

• Asktheclass:Whatdoyouthinkofwhenyouthinkofwintersquash?Answersmayinclude:o Halloweeno Thanksgivingo Fallo Idon’tknowwhatwintersquashis.

• Asktheclass:Whatisthedifferencebetweensummerandwintersquash?o Wintersquashisharvestedinthefallandwintermonths.o Wintersquashisavailableyearroundbutishardyenoughtosurvivethewintermonthsbecause

ofitsthickrind.o Wintersquashismoremature.o Wintersquashincludestypeslikeacorn,butternut,kabocha,hubbard.o Summersquashhasathinskinandisharvestedinthesummer.o Summersquashisnotasmatureandisharvestedbeforetherindcanthicken.o Summersquashiszucchinioryellowcrooknecksquash.

• Brieflyexplaintherecipethatyouhavestartedandwhatyouhavedonesofar.Objective1:Adultswillexplainahealthbenefitprovidedbywintersquash.Activity:Nutritiondiscussion Time:2‐3minutes

• Explainthatthemostrecentdietaryguidelinesrecommendanincreasedconsumptionofdarkgreenandorangevegetables.Manywintersquashareorange.

• Asktheclass:Whywouldthisbearecommendation?Becausethecolorisanoutwardsignofitsnutritionalproperties.

• Asktheclass:Whatdoesthedeeporangecolortellyouaboutthewintersquash?Whatnutrientisithighin?

o Commendparticipantsforalloftheirguesses.o ThecorrectanswerisbetacaroteneorvitaminA.o BetacaroteneisatypeofvitaminthatturnsintovitaminAinourbodies.Youcanremember

thatbetacaroteneisorangebythinkingabout“carotene”soundinglike“carrots”whicharealsoorange.

• Asktheclass:WhyisbetacaroteneorvitaminAimportant?o Itisimportantforimmunefunction(health)andskinhealth.

***Flipthefries.***

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Objectives2,3,and4:Adultswillexplainhowtoselectthebestwintersquash;Adultswilldiscusscostandtimeeffectivestrategiesforincorporatingwintersquashintofamilymeals;Adultswilldiscusspreparationandstoragetechniquesofwintersquash,includingcleaning,trimming,cooking,andstoring.Activity:DiscussionandDemonstrationTime:25minutes

• Asktheclass:Whatarethedifferentkindsofwintersquash?Howmanycanyouname?• Walkaroundtheclassdisplayingthesquashsothateveryonecansee.(Showtheminsideandoutside

ofeachsquashthatyoubroughtasyousayit.Showtheattachedpicturesofeachtypeofsquashifyouareunabletogetrealwintersquash).Answersmayinclude:

• Thefoursquashthatareitalicizedarethemostcommon.o Pumpkino Butternuto Acorno Spaghetti

o Hubbardo Bananao Turban

• Asktheclass:Whatarethedifferencesandsimilaritiesbetweenthesedifferentkinds(bothinsideandoutside)?

o Theyallhaveseedsontheinside.o Theseedsaredifferentshapesandcolors.o Thesquasharedifferentshapesandcolors.o Theinsidessmellsimilar.

• Asktheclass:Doesanyonehaveanytipsforpickingagoodsquash?Answersmayinclude:o Heavyforitssizeo Thick,hardskino Skinsshouldhavevividcoloro Nocracksorsoftspotso Whenchoosingbutternutsquash,chooseonewithalongneckandsmallbulb;ithasmoremeat

• Mentiontotheclassthatuncutwintersquashwillgenerallykeepfor3‐6monthswhenstoredinacool,

dryplace.Itshouldbestoredinarootcellaroracoolclosetthatisabout50°.Ifitiswarmer,thesquashwon’tlastaslong.

• Asktheclass:Whatothervegetablescanbestoredinthisway(inarootcellarorcoolcloset)?o Onionso Carrots

o Potatoeso Parsnips

• Afterwintersquashiscut,itwilllastaboutaweek.

• Asktheclass:Whatarewaysthatyouhaveeatenwintersquashbefore?• Asktheclass:Whatwayshaveyouheardofeatingwintersquashthatyouwouldliketotry?• Waystoaddwintersquashtomeals:

o Addgrated,canned,orleftovercookedsquashtomuffinsorbreads.o Sampleavarietyofwintersquashandfindoutwhichisyourfamily’sfavorite.o Pureewintersquashasabaseforathick,heartysoup.Addothervegetableslikepotatoes,

corn,andcarrots.o Sprinklealittlebitofcinnamononyoursquash.o Cutsquashinhalfandstuffwithotheringredientslikerice,cornorbeans.o Findadessertrecipethatuseswintersquash.

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o Makefriesoutofbutternutsquash.o Putbutterandalittlesaltandpepperonsquashandeatasasidedish.o Addsquashtoricedishes,likearisotto.

• Asktheclass:Whatformsdoessquashcomein?

o Mostsquashisrawinthegrocerystore.o Pumpkinistheonlycannedwintersquash.o Wintersquashcanbefrozenforconsumptionbutisnotextremelycommoningrocerystores.o Youcanfreezewintersquashyourselfbycookingitfirstandthenputtingitincontainersinthe

freezer.• Explaintotheclassthat,becauserawisthemainformofsquash,itisimportanttoknowhowtocut

intoone,especiallyintoahardbutternut.o Explainthatformostsquash,allyoureallyneedisabig,sharpknife.o Taketheacornsquashandexplainthatyouusedasharpknifetocutitinhalf.Explainthatyou

canstufftheinsidesafterscoopingouttheseedsorscoopoutthemeatandjustusetheshelltostuff.Eitherway,themeatcanandshouldbeeaten!Afterall,that’swhyyoubuywintersquash.

o Takethebutternutsquashandexplainthatyoucandothefollowingsoitiseasiertomanage: Pokeseveralholesintothewholesquashwithafork. Microwaveforabout5minutesoruntilitisslightlysoft. Allowtocoolsoyoudon’tburnyourself. Peelthehardrindoffoftheoutsideofthewintersquash. Cutinhalfandremovetheseeds,thencutintocubes. Youcansavetheseedstoroastasasnack.

o Fromthere,youcancutitintostripsforfries,mashit,pureeit,orcutitintocubes.

• Telltheclassthatyouwillbrieflyexplainhowtopreparesquash.o Microwave:

Takehalfofanacornsquash,wrapitinsaranwrapandmicrowaveforabout5minutes. Thiswillcreatesomesteam,sobecarefulwhenremovingthesaranwrap.

o Baking: Puthalvesorpiecesonabakingsheetwithoutpeeling. Placein400°ovenfor40‐50minutesoruntiltender. Scoopoutthemeatoreatstraightfromtherind.

o Roast: Roastskinnedchunkswithothervegetablesbycoatingthemwithalittlebitofoliveoil

andsomeseasonings.Placeina400°ovenfor40‐50minutesoruntiltender. Puthalvesorpiecesonabakingsheetwiththefleshsidedown.

o Boil: Cutintosmallchunksandboiluntiltenderforuseasamash,etc.

o Sauté: Putalittleoliveoilinapanandsautéthinsquashslices

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Objective5:Adultswillmakeandtastesomethingthatincludeswintersquash.Activity:Demonstratebutternutsquashfries DemonstrateroastedsquashseedsTime:10‐20minutes

• Passoutthebutternutsquashfriesforparticipantstoeatwhileyouaredemonstratingtheotherrecipe.

• Askclassmemberstohelpyoucleanouttheinsidesofthehalvesofthesquashthatyoubrought.• Followtherecipeandmakeseveralkindsofseedsfortheclasstotry.• Whileyouarewaitingforthemtocook,asktheclass:Whataresomewaysyoucanusetheseedsof

squashinyourmeals?o Addtoasalado Eatasasnacko Addtotrailmix

• Explainthebutternutsquashfriesrecipeifyoudidn’tdoitbefore.• Whileyouarewaitingfortheseedstocook,moveontothesummaryandregroupsection.

Conclusion:SummaryandRegroupTime:5minutes

• Asktheclass:Whatissomenewinformationthatyoulearnedthatwillhelpyourfamilyeatsquash?• Asktheclass:Whatkindofmealorrecipeareyougoingtotrythatincludessquash?• Thanktheparticipantsforattending.

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TYPESOFWINTERSQUASH

PUMPKIN

ACORN

BUTTERNUT

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SPAGHETTI

TURBAN

HUBBARD