We are all familiar with the classic butternut squash. It is a delicious and also beautiful squash that is very popular in cooking around the world.
They make great additions to meals, but sometimes the thought of spending hours laboring in the kitchen for your next meal is not very appetizing.
You might really want butternut squash one night, but have no energy to stand around cooking it to perfection.
What if I told you that you don’t actually have to cook butternut squash? You read that right – you can eat this fruit (yes, it is technically a fruit) raw! Interested? Good.
Let’s find out more about the butternut squash and see what we can do with it, without having to cook it.
All About Butternut Squash
Before we get started, it’s a good idea to know a little more about the butternut squash. We already know that it is a fruit, but what else?
These fruit are full of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and fiber, not to mention they are delicious. You can use this ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes, and they go with just about everything.
These fruit actually contain more potassium than bananas do, so if you are in need of some potassium, try having a cup of cubed butternut squash!
If you aren’t very familiar with the butternut squash, you might be wondering what exactly you can do with them. These fruits are super versatile and can be made into soups and purées, or sautéed, roasted, or toasted.
Whatever fish you can imagine, you can probably throw a butternut squash into it.
A super flavorful fish to add these fruits into are curries – their soft, delicate flavor compliments Indian spices beautifully, and their orange color stands out like a work of art.
Can You Eat Butternut Squash Raw?
As we already touched on, yes, you can eat butternut squash raw! If you didn’t already know this, chances are you would never have thought.
Looking at this fruit, it seems like it should be impossible to be able to eat it raw, but there are a few ways you can enjoy them without cranking up the heat, and the recipes are super easy.
What Can You Do With Raw Butternut Squash?
If you are not in the mood to do any cooking, try having some raw butternut squash. I don’t mean taking a bite out of one like you would an apple, these things need to be prepared.
You can make a fresh, zesty salad with raw butternut squash if you are in the mood, or make a smoothie for the morning.
Whatever you choose, these squash recipes will taste delicious and fresh, and also be healthy.
Crunchy Butternut Squash Salad
There are lost of variation of the butternut squash salad out there. Some same raisins, some have dates or feta cheese. The added ingredients are completely up to you based on your preferences, but just that there are a lot to pick from.
Below, we will go through one of the recipes that you definitely need to try the next time you get your hands on a butternut squash.
Name: Raw Butternut Squash Salad with Raisins and Ginger
Number Of Servings: 4 servings
Preparation Time: 5 minutes (plus refrigeration time)
Ingredients Needed:
- Butternut squash
- Ginger
- Raisins
- Sherry vinegar
- Vegetable oil
- Black pepper
- Salt
Method: Peel and seed the butternut squash, then grate it. Once grated, transfer the squash to a large bowl and add in the vinegar, raisins, ginger, and oil.
Add the salt and paper to taste, and toss until all butternut squash if adequately coated. Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your preference, and enjoy!
This dish can be served immediately, or refrigerated. Because of how well butternut squash keeps, it can usually be kept in the refrigerator for several days, depending on what else goes into the crunchy salad.
Butternut Squash Smoothie
Name: Raw Spiced Butternut Squash Smoothie
Number of servings: number of servings is not specified
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Ingredients Needed:
- Butternut squash
- Spinach
- Raisins
- Coconut milk
- Almost milk
- Bananas
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
Method: to make this smoothie, pour the almond and coconut milk into the blender and add the spinach. Blend well, then add the butternut squash, raisins, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
Blend the ingredients until smooth and keep an eye on the consistency. In necessary, add a small amount of water so that it can be poured. Now you can serve the smoothie and enjoy.
What Other Surprising Foods Can You Eat Raw?
You would be surprised by the number of unconventional foods that you can eat raw. Usually, you would never come across these ingredients raw anywhere, unless you knew where to go.
Let’s have a look at some ingredients that you do not have to cook to enjoy.
Lentils
Not only lentils, but just about all pulses, can be eaten raw. These ingredients should be soaked before eating, so they sprout, but there are not really any rules beyond that.
You can use green or puy lentils to make things like hummus, but you can also use chickpeas. All you need to do is let the lentils soak overnight, then rinse them thoroughly and put them in a sieve or sprouting jar.
You will need to rinse them twice a day until they begin to sprout, then you will see little tails appear on them. This process can take anywhere between 2-5 days, so you may need to think ahead if you plan on eating raw lentils.
Sweet Potato
You can make sweet potato spirals and eat them raw for healthy dishes and snacks. This is a great option for the Fall months when the world starts to look a little colder.
Spiral your sweet potato, then toss the ribbons up with Parmesan and pesto, and there you have a simple but delicious meal.
Mushrooms
Don’t judge this one without trying it first. Mushrooms don’t have the best reputation when they are raw, and a lot of people don’t even like them cooked, but give them a chance.
These fungi can be delicious when tossed with garlic, salt, and oil or a couple of minutes. If you don’t feel like doing that, you can try dehydrating them, then they will definitely be delicious and fresh.
You can try all different kinds of mushrooms raw, too. If you have tried a variety that you found you don’t like, pluck up the courage to go out and try another one.
You never know if there is a mushroom out there that you really love, and it would be a shame to never find it.
Courgettes (Summer Squash)
Summer squash are popular raw, and they are super delicious. With a mild but crisp flavor, these fruit can be ribboned to have seasoned on their own, or added to other recipes.
They go really well was pasta alternatives, and makes you feel less guilty about having all of your favorite dishes. You can eat these raw, and they will be even more delicious than they are when cooked.
Wild Rice
Since wild rice is technically a grass seed, it can be eaten raw and does not have to sprout. To eat these, soak them in water overnight in a jar or large container.
Leave it out for the night, then transfer the jar to the refrigerator. It should stay in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and the water should be changed twice a day. After 3 to 4 days, the wild rice will be ready to eat just as it is.
Benefits Of Raw Foods
Raw foods in our diet can be fantastic for us. Incorporating raw foods, especially raw fruits and vegetables, can not only limit the amount of time we spend in the kitchen cooking,
but they also have a number of health benefits. Having raw fruits and vegetables can lead to you having more energy, better digestion, better skin and even a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Cooking food ultimately leads to the nutrients (or at least some of them) being destroyed in the process. There are claims that eating a raw food diet can help with allergies, headaches and migraines, improve diabetes, and even help with arthritis.
What Do You Think About Eating Raw Foods?
Raw foods can have surprising benefits, and they might be work trying out if you can wrap your head around them. Eating raw foods like butternut squash might not come naturally at first, and the idea may seem weird, but try it and find out for yourself.
It is possible that you will open yourself up to a whole new world of foots to try once you get used to the fact that so much can be eaten raw and unprocessed.
