Winter Squash

hat do acorn squash, zucchini, cucumber and watermelon have in common? They're all delicious, nutritious members of the gourd family. Winter squashes, with their hard, protective shells, were a staple of the colonial American diet because they could be stored for up to three months in winter. However, you don't have to be a colonial American or Charlie Brown to enjoy a good pumpkin, or even a nice spaghetti squash, for that matter. Winter squashes come in over 100 varieties, and no matter which type you choose to cook up, you're bound to reap some nutritional benefits.

These starchy vegetables are high in fiber and other complex carbohydrates, so they give you energy but not a lot of calories. Starchy vegetables, like whole grains, can help control your weight and appetite by keeping your blood sugar at even levels. The orange-fleshed squash varieties, like sugar pumpkin, Hubbard, and butternut, are loaded with beta-carotene. This phytonutrient is converted into vitamin A in our bodies and acts as an antioxidant to help protect against cancer and cataract development. It has also been shown to boost immune function.

A serving of winter squash is just 1 cup of cooked cubed or mashed flesh (the skin and most seeds are inedible). Depending on the variety, they can range from 80-120 calories and 4-10 grams of fiber per serving. Squashes also contain a fair amount of vitamin C and potassium.

Winter squash is the freshest in the fall and winter, but has more beta-carotene in the spring and summer, after it has been stored for a while. When selecting your squash, look for a smooth, dry rind that is free of soft spots and cracks. A good specimen is dull, velvety, and heavy for its size. Edible pumpkins are sugar pumpkins, which weigh less than seven pounds, not jack-o-lanterns for carving or mini decorative pumpkins. Most of the other winter squashes you'll find in Gelson's produce department this fall and winter will be edible and delicious-just ask if you're not sure. You can store whole winter squashes for over three months if you keep them in a cool, dry place (pumpkins only keep for about a month). Cut squash can be kept up to a week if wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator.

Preparing winter squash for cooking is the hard part. Wash them well to start. You can bake a whole squash, which is the easiest and most nutritious option. You can cook it fully when whole or just long enough to soften it for cutting if you pierce it deeply in several places around the top first and then set it in a baking pan. Never cook or microwave one whole-it will explode! To split a raw gourd, make a notch in the rind with a heavy knife. Place the blade in the groove and tap the base of the knife (near the handle) with your fist or a mallet until it cuts through. Remove the strings and seeds and peel with a vegetable peeler or paring knife, if desired. Boiling, steaming, roasting, baking, microwaving and pressure cooking are all viable options for cooking cut pieces, which can then be mashed, or added to soups, stews, and tarts. Pair with flavorful cheeses, garlic, mushrooms, sage, thyme, and nuts. This month, try my recipes for Pumpkin Pie Smoothies and Spaghetti Squash Arrabbiata.

Chocolate RX

y fellow Chocoholics:

I hope you're sitting down because I have very good news about our favorite food group. Chocolate actually has curative properties!

Researchers at Children's Hospital in Oakland tested the science behind the consumption of cocoa to remedy diarrhea, which has been used since ancient times. In the lab, they found that the flavonoids concentrated in cocoa and dark chocolate can help prevent the buildup of fluid in the small intestine that is associated with diarrhea. Basically, cocoa and dark chocolate can help treat mild diarrhea without the side effects that many anti-diarrheal drugs may have.

Diarrhea can be serious since it easily leads to dehydration, which can be fatal for children and elderly adults. Drinking a glass of homemade cocoa can be a good remedy for diarrhea, since cocoa can help stop diarrhea and the water or milk used to make it helps replace some of the depleted fluids. Dark chocolate is another possible option, though it contains fewer flavonoids than pure cocoa. If you want to try cocoa the next time you have a mild case of diarrhea, I recommend Scharffen Berger cocoa and dark chocolate and Green & Black's Organic cocoa and dark chocolate.