Cooking winter squash doesn't have to take a long time. Cut into 1" cubes and healthy steam. With this recipe it only takes 7 minutes to add winter squash to your Healthiest Way of Eating. You will also enjoy a rich source of health-promoting vitamins A and C.

Prep and Cook Time: 7 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, or any variety of winter squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp orange juice
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
• Feta cheese
• Chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 small onion sliced thin, cooked with the squash
• Also try combining 4 tsp finely minced fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp honey with the olive oil.

Directions:

1. Fill the bottom of the steamer with 2 inches of water.
2. While steam is building up in steamer, peel and cut squash into 1-inch cubes.
3. Steam covered for 7 minutes. Squash is done when it is tender, yet still firm enough to hold its shape.
4. Transfer to a bowl. For more flavor toss squash with the oil, orange juice, salt, and pepper while it is still hot. Research shows that carotenoids in foods are best absorbed when consumed with oils.

Healthy Cooking Tips:
While you have to peel most varieties of winter squash, if you cook kobucha you do not have to peel it.

Author's Bio: 

This recipe is from the http://www.whfoods.org website, a very popular website which comes up #1 on a "Google" search for "healthiest foods" and "healthiest recipes." The website provides unbiased information with no commercial interests by the not-for-profit George Mateljan Foundation. George Mateljan is the founder of Health Valley Foods and author of six best-selling books on the Healthiest Way of Eating.