BC Living
Embark on Culinary Adventures: 5 Must-Try Solo Dining Experiences Around BC
You Gotta Try this in April 2024
English Muffins – From Scratch
4 Tips on Balancing a Nutritious Diet with a Side of Indulgence
Choosing Connection: A BC Family Day Pledge to Prioritize Presence Over Plans
Embracing Plant-Based Living this Veganuary and Beyond
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Travel Light, Travel Right: Minimalist Packing Tips for Solo Explorers
A Solo Traveller’s Guide to Cozy Accommodations
Local Getaway: Relax at a Hidden Cabin along Jordan River
Films and TV Series that Inspire Solo Travel
B.C. Adventures: Our picks for April
Cooking Classes
Sḵwálwen Botanicals – Changing the Face of Skincare
Culinary Fashion: What to wear on “Foodie Field Trips”
Freshen Up your Skincare this Spring with these 9 BC Based Skincare Products
Make the most of summer squashes with a delicious veggie roast or squash rings coated with a honey-glaze
This veggie roast is versatile, quick and easy to prepare
Once the weather has settled in June, I plant squash and pumpkins out in the garden. They need warm soil for germination and warmth outdoors to thrive, so there’s no rush to seed these heat lovers. I sow seeds into 10-cm (2-in.) pots in the greenhouse in mid-May, where germination is fast and the seedlings will be ready to go out in June. The fragile roots of squash resent disturbance, so it’s best to plant each seed in its own little pot.
Vining squash and pumpkins are best planted at the edge of the garden where they can sprawl over the lawn. Bush varieties are more compact and can be tucked in anywhere; they even grow well in large planters. Space plants 30 cm (12 in.) apart for bush varieties, and 60 cm (24 in.) apart for vining types.
Summer squashes (represented by gold, green or striped zucchini, marrows and scalloped white or yellow patty pans) are always plentiful, but have high water content, so do not store for long. Here’s a tasty recipe that’s versatile, quick and easy to prepare, and will help you to work through those prolific summer squash. The roasted vegetables can also be used as a pizza topping, or as filling for panini sandwiches and omelettes. You can vary the ingredients, depending on what’s in the fridge, or experiment with other marinade-type dressings to change the flavour.
Ingredients
Barb’s Killer Dressing
Instructions
Winter squash (Hubbard, acorn, butternut, pumpkin, buttercup, delicata and spaghetti) have higher nutrient content than the summer variations, and due to their orange flesh are particularly high in beta-carotene. All squash are an excellent source of fibre and low in calories.
When left to mature on the vine, winter squash store through the winter, and I consider them a vital part of our winter diet. To harvest winter squash or pumpkins, cut them off with a 2.5-cm (1-in.) length of stem attached, and wipe off any dirt. They store best at 13°C (55°F) at low humidity, so I just line them up on our sideboard and eat them as desired.
Tip: Wipe the skin with 10:1 solution of water: hydrogen peroxide to destroy bacteria and prevent rot from setting in during storage.
Originally published in BC Home & Garden magazine. For regular updates, subscribe to our free Home and Garden e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the magazine.