DAY 2 OF 4 GOURDS

 

Acorn  

This gourd easily performs as a sweet or savory dish. Sauté it with onions, make a pie instead of using pumpkin, or roast it in the oven with butter and cinnamon. 

Looks Like: Dark green and yellow rind (sometimes whiteish or with bright orange patches) with deep ridges and yellowish, stringy flesh. 

Tastes Like: Sweet, nutty 

Nutrition Highlight: It’s got good Daily Values of B vitamins: 23% of the DV of Thiamine (vitamin B1), 20% of Pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and 10% of Folate (vitamin B9). It’s also one of the highest fiber-containing gourds. 

Spaghetti squash  

If you’re looking for a gluten-free substitute for spaghetti noodles, look no further than this gourd. Cut it in half, remove the seeds, and bake until tender. Take a fork and pull it through the open squash, and watch it turn into spaghetti-like strands. Spoon your favorite pasta sauce on top and enjoy! 

Looks Like: Ivory, yellow, or orange rind with long, stringy pale-yellow flesh. 

Tastes Like: Mild, neutral flavor 

Nutrition Highlight: High in beta-carotene. 

 
Ingredients 
2 teaspoons butter or oil
1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt and pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder 
½ teaspoon chili powder 

Instructions 

1. Slit the skin of the squash five times (like you do with potatoes.) 
2. Place in microwave for five minutes. 
3. If not soft after five minutes, add another three minutes. 
4. Carefully cut in half and remove seeds 
5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add butter and seasonings until melted 
6. Mix melted or oil seasoning into the squash, using a fork to pull strings parts 
7. Serve and enjoy

DAY 1 OF 4 GOURDS

 Gourds, those hard-shelled fruits – also known as squashes – that come from a flowering plant, are not just for decorative centerpieces and seasonal displays. Gourds are nutritious and naturally gluten-free. In addition to eating the gourd flesh – and in some cases the rind – you can eat gourd seeds, typically by cleaning and roasting them, just sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy.

Whether you call gourds a fruit or a vegetable, research shows the importance of eating plenty of vegetables and fruits to reduce chronic disease risk and improve health. Gourds contain “carotenoids,” the same pigment that turns carrots orange. Your body turns carotenoids into vitamin A which is good for vision and healthy skin. Gourds also contain other important vitamins and minerals, too.  

While the uncooked gourd adds a decorative touch to the table, cooked gourds add visual appeal to the plate with their vibrant colors. Take advantage of their shapes and use them as vessels for stuffing. Scoop the seeds out of a cooked squash and get creative. For example, add rice with dried cranberries into the hollowed-out gourd for a beautiful way to serve a side dish. 

Let’s take a closer look at gourds of various shapes, sizes, colors, and textures and learn why they can be healthy and delicious additions to gluten-free meals or even eaten as the main course over the next few days.

PREPARE GLUTEN FREE FOR ALL

 

Prepare All Gluten-Free for Ease 

The simplest way to entertain and ensure there is no gluten getting into gluten-free meals or snacks you’re serving is to decide from the outset that you’re preparing only gluten-free food. People less familiar with gluten-free eating might think you have to go with specialty foods and limited choices, but that is not the case. Going exclusively gluten-free might seem limiting at first – or even off-putting for gluten-eaters – but it doesn’t have to be. There are easy ways to make everyone happy eating gluten free.

Start by choosing appetizers and meal courses that are naturally gluten-free – like a salad with homemade dressing, roast chicken with roasted vegetables and rice, and baked apples topped with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Tortilla chips and salsa or a homemade dip with cut raw veggies are easy, naturally gluten-free appetizers.  

You could take this opportunity to showcase your favorite gluten-free dishes and introduce your friends to the wide array of gluten-free culinary options. If you’re cooking and baking for your get-together, go for recipes you’ve tried before with great success rather than experimenting with something new. This can help reduce stress so you can serve your gluten-free offerings with confidence.  

Pasta, bread, and baked goods are the most common foods where you need to go with gluten-free versions. You could introduce guests to these gluten-free foods that will often be new to them. Offering these items may elicit a reaction from your guests, whether positive, negative, or surprised. This can be a good way to increase awareness and enter a conversation about eating gluten-free, but if you prefer to avoid this scenario, offering naturally gluten-free dishes is the way to go.