In Season Now: Summer Squash

Out with acorn, bye-bye butternut and sayanora spaghetti. If you’ll pardon my cheesy alliteration habit (sometimes I can’t resist), what I’m trying to get at is that the time for winter squash is through. In season now? Summer squash – a family of squash varieties that includes yellow squash, scallop squash and zucchini.

Why eat it? For starters, it’s high in approximately 8 billion things that are good for you: dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, niacin, potassium, riboflavin, thiamine, zinc, Vitamins A, B6 and C, beta-Carotene and more. It’s also low-fat and low-cal. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one serving of summer squash (that’s about one cup, sliced, of any of the varieties) contains just 18 calories and .2 grams of fat.

Plus, it can really tie a kabob together.

Here’s a quick (and vegetarian) kabob recipe for spring grill-outs (to go with your Meatless Monday veggie burgers):

1. Cut up the zucchini and squash
2. Soak it in a little balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, or your marinade of choice, along with cubed tempeh
3. Grab a a skewer and string up the zucchini, squash and tempeh with slices of onion and pineapple (which is also in season right now) about an inch thick.
4. Grill ‘til the squash is tender, the onions and pineapple are blackened and the tempeh is crispy.

Or check out these other summer squash recipes from Blisstree:

• Summer Squash Pudding
• Sauteed Squash with Carrots & Onions
• Sauteed Zucchini and Leeks