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Wed Oct 10, 2018


comp train 9.3.18

3 Rounds For Time:

60 Air Squats

21/15 Calorie Assault Bike

10 Hang Power Cleans (205/145)

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Meet My Favorite Squash: KABOCHA!

by Coach Courtney, RD www.vitalitynutrition.ca

Meet my favorite squash... the Kabocha squash otherwise known as Japanese pumpkin. I actually would say that the Kabocha squash is my favorite carbohydrate source of all time! To me, it tastes like a cross between a sweet potato and a butternut squash. It is sweet and has a butter-y texture.

This filling squash has half the carbs of a sweet potato at 10g of carbohydrate per 100g serving (about the size of your fist or 1 cup). As reference, a potato would have about 22g of carb per 100g serving.

Aside from offering volume to your meal, Kabocha is high in fibre and loaded with vitamin A (giving it a bright orange color!)

In true Courtney fashion, I can't just eat it as a simple side dish. I have to enjoy it as a weird concoction of all my favorite foods. My favorite way to enjoy Kabocha is baked with salt and cinnamon and topped with almond butter. To make it a complete meal or snack, I like to add some cottage cheese or Greek yogurt for protein and extra dusting of cinnamon. The combination of protein from the cottage cheese, fat from the almond butter, and volume and fibre from the squash is very filling!

To prepare, I simply cube or slice the squash and bake at 350F until tender. I leave the skin on while baking and peel or cut it off when I am ready to enjoy it. Kabocha makes a great addition to Big Ass Salads, served as a side dish, or enjoyed as a snack as described above.

In our Take 30 Challenge, we discussed the habit of including "volume foods" at our meals. Foods that are high in water and fibre, like fruits and vegetables, are called “volume foods.” They add bulk to your meals and help fill your stomach. This volume allows for a stretch reflex in your stomach that tells your brain “I am satisfied.” I shared Kabocha as my favorite "volume food"!

My sister gifted me Kabocha from her garden this year. If you don't have an amazing sister to grow you fresh veggies and squash, you can always find it at Superstore or Independent Grocers in Saskatoon :)


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