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Oven Roasted Butternut Pumpkin
Butternut pumpkin is the missing link between your basic, everyday pumpkin and the all purpose potato. Its not as moist as pumpkin and its a bit sweeter than potato.
A couple of years ago, I would have dreaded dishing up a bright yellow veggie – fearing the drama it would create at the dinner table. I know. I know. It was ridiculous to let my kids control our food choices, but with four kids of mixed ages, it was often easier to dish up the food I knew they liked. I was digging a hole for myself but I did it anyway. One day I had enough of the nonsense. I had created fussy eaters and I knew it. The damage had been done and it was up to me to fix it.
A word of advice: Its easy to start teaching your kids to eat right from an early age. My youngest was introduced to real, whole foods as a baby. I never even bought him store bought baby food. I just mashed up the food I was eating. Out of all my children, he is my best little eater. He eats everything and is prepared to give all new food a go without hesitation.
My other children reacted as if I had asked them to commit a crime. Shock. Dismay. Total disbelief. But, I slowly introduced new foods and my kids learned to eat Real Food – one recipe and one veggie at a time.
Anyway. back to the butternut pumpkin. This vegetable was surprisingly well received. First couple of times I dished it up, there were a few grumbles, but now everyone eats it without a fuss.
A little magic happens when pumpkin and cinnamon meet. I sprinkle my Butternut with a little cinnamon and a swirl of olive oil and bake at 180 degrees Celsius / 320 Fahrenheit for 50 – 60 min (usually alongside a roast chicken). The outside is slightly cripy, but the inside is fluffy and soft to eat. A little bit like a roast potato.
