In the Kitchen: Rosemary and Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash Fries

Welcome to LifeWise Kitchen! We’ve teamed up with Bastyr University and Guckenheimer to provide you with healthy and delicious recipes. Check out our latest post – a recipe from Ellie Freeman at Bastyr University.

As we head into the colder months, more types of squash are popping up in stores and at farmers markets. A favorite here in the Northwest is butternut squash. People love it roasted, baked or mashed — but have you ever eaten butternut squash fries?

Try this recipe — which compliments the sweetness of butternut squash with the robust flavors of rosemary and bacon — and you may end up with a new go-to snack. The best part is these crunchy fries are healthier than the fast-food kind, so you can enjoy them without the guilt!

     

Rosemary and Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash Fries

Ingredients:

• 4 strips bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small butternut squash
• 2–3 teaspoons fresh or dried rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roast bacon in the oven on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 15–20 minutes, or until crispy.
3. Meanwhile, halve the butternut squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Then remove the peel and cut the squash into thin wedges for fries.
4. Remove the bacon from oven.
5. Toss squash wedges, herbs and garlic with the roasted bacon and bacon lard on a roasting pan.
6. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.
7. Bake for an additional 30–35 minutes, or until the butternut squash begins to brown.
8. Serve immediately.

__________________

Bastyr University is internationally recognized as a pioneer in natural medicine. As the largest accredited university for natural health arts and sciences in the U.S., Bastyr’s campus located near Seattle, Washington, offers more than 17 degree and certificate programs in fields such as naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, and whole-food nutrition. Founded in 1978, the University now includes a leading-edge research facility (the Bastyr University Research Institute) and outstanding clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health, ranked as one of the Puget Sound’s top medical facilities for patient experience in 2012. The University’s second campus, Bastyr University California opened in San Diego, in fall 2012, becoming California’s first and only accredited school of naturopathic medicine.