Skin-Balancing Fall Side Dish: Delicata Squash
September 30, 2012 by Jolene
Filed under *Featured*, Beauty Foods, Eat Pretty: Recipes
For healthy, balanced skin, start at the top of the beauty nutrient list— with vitamin A. When it comes to youthful, blemish-free skin, it’s hardly a coincidence that A comes first. Vitamin A is essential for cell turnover, balanced sebum levels, skin repair, and an overall silky-smooth complexion.
In the fall, vitamin A is abundant in some of my favorite seasonal beauty foods— like Delicata squash. While I don’t discriminate among the many delicious fall squashes found in farmer’s markets this time of the year (they’re all amazing to cook with), Delicata is my absolute favorite. It’s super-fast to prepare, since you don’t need to peel it (Delicata squash skins are edible!), and leaving the lovely speckled skin intact makes for a beautiful presentation.
Now for the info you’ve been waiting for— beauty benefits! Delicata squash is a major beauty food, as just 3/4 of a cup packs 70% of your daily RDA for anti-aging vitamin A, and a nice dose of collagen-boosting C to boot. Did I mention it’s only 30 calories?
Try roasting Delicatas in coconut oil, seasoned with classic sea salt and fresh ground pepper, or try my sweet and savory Honey Cardamom Roasted Delicata Squash recipe below. I serve it as a side dish, or wrap the roasted squash pieces in corn tortillas, topped with fresh veggies and avocado slices for an easy fall take on a taco.
With every bite, you’re eating your way to smooth, youthful skin!
- 1 medium delicata squash
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- Scant ½ tsp cardamom
- pinch of sea salt
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeds (reserve if roasting). Slice each half into 1″ thick half rounds. In a small bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil, honey, cardamom and sea salt. Toss squash slices in honey mixture. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread squash slices evenly over sheet in one layer. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes, turning once.
Squash image: Mauro Pilates
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Check out what others are saying about this post...[...] only is cooked squash (pick your fave: butternut, acorn, kabocha, delicata, hubbard) incredibly warming and grounding to our bodies in the fall, squash is super high in beta [...]