Deep natural flavor, color, and ease of preparation make this winter squash a fall favorite.  Reasonably priced USA grown kabochas (Trader Joes at $2.29 each) will yield a delicious component to many of your favorite dishes or as a healthy snack for about 60 to 70 cents a pound.

Wash the outside thoroughly with warm soapy water, dry and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  I like to cook mine at a high temperature–about 425– until I can smell the outside browning. It should take 60-80 minutes to roast a four to six pound squash. Cut in sections, they are much easier to seed and partition when the flesh is cooked.  Slicing raw, irregularly shaped, thick-skinned squash can be dangerous!

 Here I snacked on the kabocha plain, throughout the day, while preparing other dishes.  Then proceeded to add a bit of vinaigrette and a little dab of goat cheese.  Finally, I settled on adding chunks to my bone broth and placing a big wedge around the rim of the bowl.  Lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner all provided for!

Although squash are fairly high in carbohydrates, kabocha are lower than most with 40 calories and 9 gram of carbs per cup.  Non-organic winter squash are also less likely to contain pesticide residue than many other fruits and vegetables. Store extra squash in large sections in the refrigerator and cover tightly with wrap to prevent squash absorbing too much moisture from the refrigerator.