Squash.

If you haven't heard, it's pumpkin season. More specifically, winter squash season. More specifically, specifically...my favorite time of the year. I frequent a natural foods market daily to check out their fresh produce, and once the end of September hit, it was bada-bing...SQUASH TIME! They have mountains of different varieties of squash, from butternut, spaghetti, and acorn, to delicata, buttercup, and red kuri. 

For a squash connoisseur like myself, this absolutely blows my mind. I eat squash like I drink coffee and if you know me...that is a ton of squash. My fave is delicata, but today, because it's fall weather, because it's finally cold in Texas, because I will never get old of warm soup on a cold day, and because it is pumpkin season, today...

Le pumpkin.

So freaking cute.

 Split that baby open

slice it up into pumpkin spears

oh, and then

we give them some extra love and tenderness with a honey balsamic glaze.

Simply sweet and delicious. 

Toss them on a salad, eat them as a side dish, or hell, just snack on them. 

On another note...

what should I make with the leftover pumpkin seeds? Anyone have any good spice rubs, recipes, etc.? I'm all ears!

Roasted Pumpkin with a Honey Balsamic Glaze (GF)

Ingredients: 

1 small to medium sized pumpkin pie pumpkin, cut in half, seeded, and sliced lengthwise into spears

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 T. balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 T. honey (or agave nectar)

pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Prepare the pumpkin as directed (see above). Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the evoo, balsamic, and honey. Drizzle over the pumpkin, sprinkle with sea salt, and toss to coat.

4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is lightly golden, then flip each one of the pumpkin spears and bake to brown the opposite side. About an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 3-5 minutes, then stuff!

Serves 3-4

MANGIA!!!