Food & Recipes

3 Ways to Cook Butternut Squash

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Per serving: 244 calories, 8 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 21 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 233 mg sodium. ­Calories from fat: 36%.

Pantry Picks for Butternut Squash Recipes

Give these healthy ingredients -- featured in our three squash recipes and chosen by Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, WebMD's director of nutrition -- a regular spot on your grocery list.

Simple Syrup: Real maple syrup (made from maple tree sap), offers intense flavor as well as antioxidant compounds. Zelman stocks real maple syrup, including Trader Joe's 100% Pure Maple Syrup and Maple Grove Farms 100% Pure Dark Amber.

Take Stock: Chicken stocks and broths give rice and potatoes an instant flavor boost, but be sure to opt for low-sodium. Zelman's favorites include Swanson Natural Goodness Chicken Broth and Pacific Organic Low-Sodium Chicken Broth.

Better Butter: A little bit of butter is better for your heart than margarines that contain trans fats, and Zelman recommends unsalted or sweet butter to avoid unnecessary sodium. (You won't miss it.) Her favorites include Land O'Lakes and Organic Valley unsalted butters.

Expert Tip

"It is crazy to try to lose weight over the holidays. It's much smarter to try to maintain your present weight." --  Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

The opinions expressed in this section are of the experts and are not the opinions of WebMD. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service, or treatment.

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