Did you know that many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables are found in the skin or peel? Before you peel your next apple, consider that you’d be removing a large portion of the fruit’s fiber and phenol antioxidants. While the skin on some fruits or vegetables is bitter (like oranges) or tough (like avocados or bananas), there are many thin-skinned produce varieties which do not need peeling and will taste great skin and all.
Leave the skin on potatoes for added fiber and a higher dose of blood-pressure lowering potassium. You can also skip the peeler with eggplant, carrots, pears, zucchini and butternut squash. Kiwifruit skin also is perfectly edible, although some people don’t like the fuzz.
So if you can obtain extra nutrients with less work, who needs a peeler anyway? Give your produce a good washing and enjoy it skin and all.
Roasted Skin-On Butternut Squash with Rosemary
1 butternut squash 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 2 teaspoons olive oil salt to taste1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Cut the ends off the squash, and slice in half. Scoop out the seeds but leave the skin on. Cut it into ~1″ cubes and place in a large bowl with rosemary.
3. Drizzle olive oil over squash and toss to coat. Spread squash on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until soft. Sprinkle with salt to taste and serve.
Serves 4
Nutrition Facts: 83 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 1 g protein
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Rosemary was made for roasting : ) Lame, but true!
The recipe looks wonderful! I am having a blast collecting all sorts of new veggie recipes over here, Georgie!!
I love eating the skin on squash. So many people remove it, but when roasted I actually think it’s particularly tasty!
Thanks Nicole! We all could use more veggie ideas, I’m sure!
And yes, I agree the skin is quite tasty on the squash. Peeling it is such a pain anyway – I wish hadn’t been peeling them all along, since this is a new discovery for me!
Georgie Fear RD
Made this tonight. It was delicious!
What is the other thing on the plate in the photo?
The other “thing” is some shredded beef with BBQ sauce.
Thanks to the slow cooker.
Georgie
Georgie, I saw butternut squash at the farmer’s market the other day but passed on it. Now I’m kicking myself for not buying it!
On the bit about eating the skin, can you eat sweet potato skin? I was wondering how it would taste or if it’s even edible.
Kim- Absolutely! Sweet potato skin is not only edible but delicious
Not too different from regular potato skin. Just wash them really well before cooking.
Georgie
I bought some apples at Costco that came in a plastic casing. When I got home to take them out I noticed a THICK coating of wax. I can’t get it off – I have even tried soap and water.
In this situation, would it be better to peel the apples than to eat wax or not eat them at all?
Ugh. That’s annoying!! I’ve heard of people making produce wash out of vinegar, water and, baking soda…I think. It may help get the waxes (and pesticides) off better than good old soap and water, thanks to the ph. Run a google search for “produce wash” and you should be able to find some thing. I know PreventionRD.com has one on her site.
Georgie