Last Sunday, my husband and I biked to Sport Hill Farm, one of our favorite places in our hometown of Easton, CT.  It was a cold and blustery fall day, so we were happy to warm up in the market farmhouse.  My eye was caught by the cutest squash I have ever seen: a miniature variety of butternut squash called honey nut.  I decided to throw a few in my backpack, alongside fresh eggs and cider, and later roasted them up for supper. I enjoyed these personal-sized squash so much I wanted to share the recipe with you!

If you can’t find tiny honey nuts, you can use acorn or even regular butternut squash instead. Just use a little more olive oil and, if you’d like, maple syrup.  Both cucurbita varieties are loaded with vitamin A (especially butternut squash) and vitamin C, as well as phytonutrients and antioxidants.

Enjoy for lunch, dinner, or even as a savory breakfast or snack.

Maple Roasted Honeynut Squash Halves

Maple-Roasted Honeynut Squash Recipe

As you can see, these little squash are significantly smaller than regular butternut.

makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Honeynut Squash
• Just under 4 teaspoons Olive Oil
• Just under 4 teaspoons Maple Syrup
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. Scrub and then halve each squash. Use a soup spoon to scoop out the seeds.
3. Place the squash halves on a baking sheet and drizzle just under a teaspoon of olive oil and maple syrup in the well of each half. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Cover the halves with foil and roast for 35-40 minutes. Then, remove the foil and roast for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Transfer the squash halves to a serving platter and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe & photos by Sophie Slater