13 311

Cinnamon Roast Butternut Squash

November 14, 2012

I often get asked by people if my kids eat everything. Well, everything is a big word. I'm sure if I sat them down with a big plate of chopped liver and super stinky cheese they would opt to starve, but overall they're both pretty good about eating a diverse range of foods. Still, that doesn't mean there are not times of major protest.

As babies, the both of them could not get enough of my butternut squash puree. Naively I assumed they would be fans of it for a lifetime. Nice try. Somehow as they entered toddlerhood their tastes changed and squash lost its luster. I'm an obsessive squash eater -- acorn, butternut, delicata, kabocha, you name it, I love it -- so having two children who apparently did not inherit my taste for it was all the more bewildering to me.

Squash recently started showing up again at our farmers' market and I've been buying and cooking it non stop. I never give up on trying to get Kenya and Chloe to eat it, but for about two weeks I was met with the same turned up noses and choruses of "I don't want it" and "I don' like that". Then one night, I had an idea. I pulled both kids' stools up to the kitchen counter and told them they were in charge of making this dish. I put some diced squash on a baking sheet and let them toss it with a bit of oil. Then a few minutes before it was ready I let each one go nuts with the cinnamon shaker before having them pour on a good amount of maple syrup and use their "pinching fingers" to sprinkle on a bit of salt. Minutes later the kitchen smelled like just how you'd imagine fall should.

Yet even after all that, they still resisted eating their creation. I don't like to push them, so instead I put out two little dishes drizzled with a touch of maple syrup (my husband claims it was more like a full pour, but who's counting) and suggested they try dipping their squash into it. Four helpings later, Kenya declared that he loved butternut squash and has requested it several times since.

The moral for me? Just when you think it's time to give up on your kids tastes and throw in the towel with a certain food, it's always worth one more try!

Cinnamon Maple Roast Butternut Squash  (makes 2 cups)

  • Prep Time:5 minutes,
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes,
  • Total Time: 50 minutes,

Ingredients

  • 2 cups peeled and chopped butternut squash (about 1 small squash)
  • 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preparation

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. 2. Place the butternut squash on a baking sheet, drizzle or spray with oil and toss to coat well.
  3. 3. Bake for 40 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with the maple syrup. Toss to coat, return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Related Recipes

Comments






  1. kellie

    November 27, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    What kind of maple syrup do you use? Is it different than what you would buy for pancakes?

    • catherine

      November 28, 2012 at 12:42 pm

      I use the same as I use for pancakes! I buy pure maple syrup from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and sometimes the Farmers Market when they have it!

  2. ojacobs08

    November 20, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    Seriously, so incredibly delicious!!!!!!!! It’s almost like eating dessert!! Love this and making or Thanksgiving!!!

  3. Karey

    November 15, 2012 at 12:41 am

    I’ve been making something similar for my daughter with all the lovely squash at the grocery store and farmers market. It’s amazing to me that she did the same thing. She loved the puree with cinnamon and now, at 11 months she didn’t like the small cubes of it I was giving her. The teeniest bit of maple syrup and roasting turned her around!

  4. laura @ glutton for nourishment

    November 14, 2012 at 4:29 pm

    this looks delicious! i might have to make some and puree it for my 9 month old :)

  5. Karen

    November 14, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    Catherine – I really am glad you said that your kids don’t eat everything. Sometimes I have watched your videos and thought that you have to be bribing Kenya and Chloe! I feel like I have tried so many of these techniques (keep presenting the food, let them help make it, give them something new as well as something familiar) and really have very little success getting my son to eat ANYTHING. Its not just that he only wants chicken nuggets or mac n cheese, even if I give him those he will only eat a bite or two (sigh).

    Anyway, thanks for letting us know there are sometimes food battles at your house too. That gives me new resolve!

  6. Jessica

    November 14, 2012 at 4:02 pm

    You should try this recipe.

    He said you marinate it in
    2 parts olive oil
    1 part honey
    1 part red wine vinegar

    I usually use about a tablespoon as my measure so 2 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp vinegar Marinate it for about 30 minutes or so. I grill mine.

  7. Julia

    November 14, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    I now roast my butternut squash too and love it! It really brings out the flavors. I love the addition of maple syrup to this!

  8. Kathryn

    November 14, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    What fun! And it answers my prayers for a good autumn breakfast vegetable for my 2 year old. I’ll try putting it out alongside pancakes or french toast fingers. Thank you. <3

  9. Adayla

    November 14, 2012 at 11:10 am

    I just made butternut squash last night and my 17 month old refused to eat it. I too am a huge lover of squash so, I was a little surprised he didn’t want to try it. I have leftovers so I may be cubing it up and adding cinnamon and syrup and seeing if that gets him to at least try it! Thanks for the recipes!

  10. Ruth

    November 14, 2012 at 9:22 am

    This recipe sounds delicious and I’m looking forward to trying it!

    The scenario you described plays out almost daily in our house, and most times my 5-yr old son decides not to try some portion of our meal. But every once in a while we get a small victory and my son discovers he actually likes something he thought he didn’t, so there’s always hope!

  11. Laura

    November 14, 2012 at 9:21 am

    I’m assuming this can be done with any kind of squash? My son devoures about 1/2 a squash a day, so I am always looking for new ways to prepare it!

    • catherine

      November 14, 2012 at 12:58 pm

      Yes, this will work with any squash!