Delicata & Chinese Broccoli - experimenting

No real meals here - just experimenting.

I roasted my winter squash - the Delicata. Since I don't have anything strong enough to chop it raw, I pierced it several times with a knife, popped it into a 375 degree oven, and roasted it until it was soft enough to slice up (about an hour).

Perhaps I could have let it roast a little longer - it was getting soft, but was still pretty, er - crisp? not that it was crispy - but it was firm rather than soft. After scooping out all the seeds & stringy insides, I scooped out the flesh (or pulp as it was referred to in one cook book) and put it in a corning ware dish to store in the fridge. I tasted it plain. It's sweet and flavorful. I sprinkled some cinnamon - made a nice accent... but I didn't prepare any real recipe with it... I don't really know what to do with it now. At least I now know what to expect when I roast it whole in the oven, and how to handle it.

I guess i can portion it out into 2 cup servings, wrap it up and freeze it to use in the next couple of weeks. Winter Squashes are high-sugar vegetables, so I can't just eat it in large amounts if i'm trying to lose weight...

Chinese Broccoli - I prepared it the same way I prepared the Rapini (or Broccoli Rabe). I didn't find it any more bitter than the Rapini (as the lady at the stand cautioned me). It was good! Lisa suggested I stir-fry it with some soy sauce and oyster sauce & some other stuff... I'll get her recipe next time & try it.

Winter Squash - Delicata - *** It's good. It's something from the season. It's different, so I get different nutrients... I'll have to try it in some recipe rather than just eating it plain or sprinkled with cinnamon (though that was a very low fat way of eating it).

Chinese Broccoli - *** Again, it's good. But nothing I would eat raw - It has to be cooked. Nice for a change. Since i'm still new to the whole rapini thing anyways, I'm sure my rating will go up once I'm more familiar with it.

Persimmon Tomato - **** Never heard of it until the SM Farmer's Market. It is very fleshy, and orange in color like a Persimmon - but it's a Tomato. Nice texture - and since it doesn't have as much of the slimy seed stuff, I did enjoy it more than a standard tomato. I had it with the olive oil, balsamic, avocado & basil.