Curried Sweet Potato Soup

I love this soup because it is quick and easy to make, so delicious, and quite nutritious.  You will get plenty of fiber from the sweet potatoes, lentils, celery, and carrots, and plenty of minerals from the homemade chicken broth and celtic sea salt.

 

Now if you told me you had a delicious recipe for soup that called for curry and lentils, I would say, “No thanks!”, but I saw this in a magazine and decided to try it.  I have made this soup many times now because it is SO good!  I encourage you to give it a try.

   Curried Sweet Potato Soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup carrot, diced (about 1 carrot)

1/4 cup celery, diced (about 1 celery rib)

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 bay leaf

2 Tablespoons fat (you could use coconut oil, I typically use the chicken fat from my homemade broth)

1 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled, cubed (usually 1 large sweet potato)

1 teaspoon curry powder

4 cups chicken broth (my recipe here)

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.)

1/4 cup brown lentils

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt to taste (celtic is best), probably about 1/2 teaspoon

plain yogurt or sour cream to garnish (sour cream is the tastiest!)

 

Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add fat and onions.  While the onions saute, you can dice the carrots–add to the pan.  Then dice the celery and add to the pan.  Peel and dice the sweet potato and add to the pan.  Peel and mince the ginger root (I suppose in a pinch you could use ginger powder.  I just buy a small root, peel the entire thing and then slice and throw in the food processor.  Whatever is more than 1 tablespoon, I freeze for the next time I make this soup.).  Add the ginger, curry, and salt; saute 1 minute.

Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and lentils; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.  Optional:  At this point, I mash it a bit with the potato masher to break up the pieces of sweet potato a bit and thicken the soup slightly.

Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and lemon juice.  Taste and adjust salt, if needed.  Serve with a garnish of sour cream and extra cilantro.

 

This recipe is part of Nourishing Soups and Stews Blog Carnival, hosted by The Nourishing Gourmet.  Check out the link to find many more great soup and stew recipes!

My Food Journey Part 3

If you are just now joining this blog, you will want to read Part 1 and Part 2 of My Food Journey.

 

Here I pick up with what I learned from my research into lowcarb dieting.  I learned many things.  I learned about how our body releases insulin and about the insulin rollercoaster.  I learned more about how important protein is.  I learned about the glycemic index and how we can lower the glycemic index of the carbs that we eat by including fat and/or fiber.  But the thing that was most enlightening was that fat is not evil!!!  This thrilled me, to say the least—I do love my butter!  I learned that there are good fats and bad fats and I learned what trans fats are.

 

This information made me feel great that I was raised on the good fats, butter, cream, and red meat, so I wanted to know more.  I picked up a book called, Know Your Fats, by Dr. Mary Enig.  This is the definitive guide to fat.  I learned about Omega-3s, Omega-6s, saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated oils; and much more.  Everything you wanted to know about fatty acids can be found in this book.  Dr. Enig was pushing the FDA to include trans fats on food labels YEARS before they actually did.  She is a champion of healthy fats.  It was  all starting to make sense to me.  As a child I was told that hydrogenated oils were bad, but now I was learning why.

 

This started an obsession for me.  I kept reading and researching and learning, I couldn’t get enough!  This is the point that I started to make changes to my diet.  I threw out all the margarine, Smart Select butter, shortening, trans fat peanut butter (Skippy, Jif, Peter Pan), and starting scrutinizing labels.  At this point trans fats were not labeled on food labels.  I checked out the book, The Trans Fat Solution by Kim Severson and Cindy Burke.  This is a really short informative book that tells you why trans fats are bad, but also how to tell if food contains it.  With this knowledge, now I know the REAL way to tell if an item has trans fats in it and guess what?  It’s not by looking at the gram listings.

 

Some time after this I found the book, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.  This book is really big, most of it being recipes.  The first time I checked it out from my library I just read the nutrition information, it was really eye opening.  I kept checking it out from our library and kept reading new things in it.  After borrowing it from the library about ten times I decided it was time to buy it.  This book opened my eyes to phytates, the substance that is in grains that leaches minerals from our bodies.  I then started playing around with whole-wheat sourdough.  I learned all about raw dairy in this book and then quit buying pasteurized dairy products and started making my own yogurt.  From this book I learned how important animal protein is so I started making my son eat meat at dinnertime.  He never liked meat very much and I convinced myself he was healthy if he had peanut butter and eggs.  Not so after reading Sally Fallon’s book.  (He enjoys most meat now.)  J

 

About a year ago I joined the Yahoo group discussingnt; these are all folks that have read Nourishing Traditions.  This really helped me along in my changes.  I started making a lot more changes when I joined that group.  There is something to be said for support, whether that is a friend, or an Internet discussion board, or even a private journal (this at least helps with accountability).  Anyway, I saw that there are so many real foods that we’re missing out on because of mass marketing.  According to FDA safety guidelines, food must be sealed in order to be shipped and sold on a mass scale.  This is good because it prevents rotten food from being sold, but the bad news is that this process kills the nutrients in those items.  (Moral:  We should be getting our food locally.)  So I started making my own naturally fermented sauerkraut, dill pickles, ginger carrots, and beet kvass.  When these items are let to naturally ferment and then stored in the refrigerator instead of heat-sealed through traditional canning methods they are alive and full of nutrients and beneficial bacteria.  Also while I was a part of that discussion group I started making Kombucha and still drink it practically every day.

 

Other changes I have made include less cooking with olive oil, I do use it on salad, on pasta, and to dip bread in.  It is a very healthy oil when it is cold, but it will get damaged when heated.  I do most of my cooking with butter and some with coconut oil.  When I switched to lowcarb eating I learned to like a lot more veggies, since veggies have a lower glycemic index than breads and pastas.  Thankfully when my husband went on his diet we cleared the cupboards of the snack cakes and boxed macaroni and cheese.  He had quit drinking soda and Kool-Aid many years before.  He switched to Baked Lays in his diet days and I have since got him to switch to plain corn chips (Baked Lays are about as processed as you can get).  I have since got him off the granola bars; I now make him muffins to take to work for breakfast.  I now make our own lunchmeat from boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rather than buying processed lunchmeat.  He lost his weight by really watching his portion intake and cutting most fat out.  Since I learned all about healthy fat, I now feed him lots of fat in his meals and he hasn’t gained any of the weight back.  He still watches his sugar intake.  I take coconut oil daily now.  I started taking cod liver oil last fall.  I occasionally take a probiotic supplement, but I feel I am getting a lot of beneficial bacteria from my homemade yogurt, Kombucha, and naturally fermented veggies.  I started making my own sour cream and buttermilk (more beneficial bacteria).  I have switched to aluminum-free baking powder (Rumford).  About a year ago I stopped using commercial shampoo, conditioner, bar soaps, shower gels, lotions, and facial cleansing products (I’ll give more details in a later post) because of the chemical content.  I switched from drinking distilled water to filtered water (spring is best, we’re just not there yet).  And I use plastics a lot less now, I’m not completely away from them, but I am taking my babysteps.

 

Now keep in mind that all these babysteps I took were over a period of years, this really all started about 6 years ago.  I’m just hoping that my list will inspire you and encourage you in your changes.

 

Looking back over my food journey shows me 1) I ate pretty good as a child, but there was a high level of phytates, which I think accounts for my dealings with mineral deficiencies now and 2) it is SO important to teach your kids about healthy eating and why you choose to eat what you eat.  I wasn’t taught and had to educate myself as an adult after eating poorly for about 10 years.  It may look like I have come full circle and now eat the way I did as a kid, but there are a few differences.  I watch my carb intake; I don’t eat a lot of breads and pastas.  Even if you’re choosing all whole-grain bread products you can still go overboard, remember, balance is key.  We ate a LOT of grains in our family; my blood sugar just can’t handle that now.  I feed my kids more carbs than I eat, but I do make sure they are getting animal protein every day.

 

The journey doesn’t end here—it goes on and on.  We all should never stop growing, never stop learning, and never stop changing!

 

Update:  I forgot to mention that I have started soaking some grains, we eat soaked old fashioned oatmeal once a week and soaked multi-grain pancakes on occasion. 

Macaroni and Cheese

Update 1/8/09

All kids love macaroni and cheese.  My son never cared for the powdered cheese variety so I started buying him the creamy kind, which I liked better, too.  I am a cost-conscience mother though, so after a few boxes at $2.86 each, I decided we needed another option.  I did the math and realized I could buy a pound of Velveeta and some generic macaroni and make an individual portion of macaroni and cheese for about 25 cents!  Much better and he liked it, too (he is a bit picky).

 

I was not raised on Velveeta, I knew full well that it was processed junk food, but I just ignored my better judgment.  We did this for a few years and then one day a friend mentioned how Velveeta has a shelf life of many, many years, unopened.  It can not possibly be even remotely like real cheese if it can last that long at room temperature.  Velveeta is basically like plastic!  I knew this, but it was really helpful hearing it again.  Sometimes we have to hear things a few times and from a few different sources for it to sink in.

 

I decided then, no more Velveeta.  So I found a wonderful recipe for macaroni and cheese with REAL cheese and it tastes fabulous!  It did take my son a few times of trying it to forget about the Velveeta.  J  Not only has he forgotten about the Velveeta, he LOVES this recipe!  Sometimes when we switch our family off of a packaged food item we just need to not have that food item for a while, so they can forget about it.  Then introduce another version and if they still do not go for it, wait a while longer.

 

This recipe is practically as easy as a boxed variety.  It makes about 6 servings as a main dish; it will be more as a side dish.  We enjoy ours with a side of broccoli with plenty of butter on it.  If you have extra time, you can add an extra special touch – toss some fresh bread crumbs with melted butter and toast in the oven till golden brown, 375°F for approximately 15 minutes.  Use these as a yummy, crunchy topping.  Mmm, so good! 

 

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to boil in a medium saucepan.

 

Add 3 cups macaroni or other small shaped pasta (14 oz.), cook until al dente; drain.  Pasta is a compromise food regardless of whether it is whole grain or not.  Do not be fooled by the new higher fiber varieties that promise Omega-3 and such.  They are still packaged food.  Pick pasta you enjoy and just do not eat it every night.  J  If you have issues with wheat you can find pasta made out of other grains at the health food store.

 

After you have drained the pasta, return it to the pan and add 2 tablespoons of butter.  Turn the heat back on to medium and stir until the butter is melted.  Add 1 cup half and half or whole milk and salt (I use abut ½ teaspoon) to the pan and keep stirring.  (You can add an optional few dashes of mustard powder here.  I know it seems strange, but it is really good, even the kids like it, it adds a bit of depth.)  Add 8 ounces grated cheese (we like White Sharp Cheddar), 1 tablespoon flour (omit if you do not eat wheat), and stir until melted and creamy.  Add an additional ½ cup of half and half or whole milk and keep stirring till heated through.  Serve immediately.

 

Note:  The key here is salting to taste.  Taste your cooking before it gets to the table.  I didn’t used to do this and now that I do, it makes a big difference.  I can salt my food once it’s at the table, but a child is not likely to, they just know the food does not taste quite right.  Especially when we introduce new foods to our families and try to cut out some of their packaged food favorites, we want that food to taste it is best, so do not be afraid of this important seasoning!

 

Update – Food made with real cheese versus Velveeta can be hard to clean off dishes.  I have learned a trick that makes it easy.  Fill the pan with warm water and generously sprinkle in baking soda.  Add a couple squirts of dish soap.  Let soak for a bit (10 min.).  Scrub the pan WITH that baking soda liquid still in it, it seems to work better than if you empty the pan out.  The cheese should come off easily.  Make sure you have most of it scrubbed off before rinsing, the baking soda really helps release the cheese.  For the plates and bowls I just sprinkle a bit of baking soda on and then scrub.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popcorn

 Want a healthy alternative to chips?  Make some delicious popcorn.  We have been brainwashed to think that popcorn is bad for us.  Movie theater popcorn and microwave popcorn IS bad for us, but when you make popcorn at home in a healthy fat, it is good for you!  It is a whole-grain, whole-food, high-fiber, unprocessed food.  Don’t feel guilt over popcorn anymore.

Makes about 12 cups

Heat, in a medium saucepan, covered, over medium heat:

1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil

2 popcorn kernels

When you hear the 2 kernels pop, you know the pan is heated enough.  Now add:

1/3 cup popcorn

Occasionally shake the pan during cooking.  When you no longer hear popping, turn heat off, carefully take off lid and pour into a large serving bowl.  Drizzle 2 tablespoons melted butter over and salt to taste.  Enjoy!

Helpful links -

The Many Health Benefits of Butter

Why Coconut Oil?

Which Fats are Healthy?

Braised Butternut Squash

As far as I can tell*, potatoes give us a nice amount of potassium, but did you know that butternut squash has almost the same amount of potassium, plus it has more fiber, calcium (almost 4 times as much, 10 times if you skin your potatoes), magnesium, vitamin C, folate, and it’s real claim to fame is that it is high in vitamin A.  If you’re watching your carbs, butternut squash is lower than potatoes.  The vitamin A contained in butternut squash is in the form of beta-carotene.  Your body converts the beta-carotene into retinol, but it won’t do that unless you are eating plenty of fat with your meal.  (Read more here.)  So eat your squash with butter or try this recipe that calls for olive oil.

 2 Tb olive oil

1 Tb minced garlic – yes, a tablespoon, mmm!

1 ½ pounds butternut or other winter squash, peeled and cubed (1/2 to 1-inch)

¼ cup chicken, beef, or veggie stock, or water (I used water)

salt and pepper, to taste

Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish (I just used dried Italian herbs)

 Place olive oil and garlic in a large, deep skillet and turn the heat to medium.  When the garlic begins to color, add the squash, stock or water, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat to low.  Cook, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.

 Uncover the pan and turn the heat to medium-high.  Cook, shaking the pan occasionally and stirring somewhat less often, until all the liquid is evaporated and the squash has begun to brown, 5 to 10 minutes.  Turn the heat to low and cook until the squash is as browned and crisp as you like.  I was using a stainless steel pan and my squash kept sticking to the pan so it didn’t get very brown, but was very good anyway.  I think I had the heat too high, though; I kept it on med-high.  I also used more than 1 ½ pounds of squash; I should have used more oil.  Anyway, it was great.

 Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish, and serve.

 *I got the nutrition information from the USDA nutrient database.

The Rest of the Story

I’m wondering why we’re not always told the whole story.  These are some examples that come to mind.

 We are led to believe that cavities and tooth decay are caused by things that sit on our teeth, food that isn’t properly brushed and flossed away that rots, BUT Dr. Weston A. Price, DDS showed us back in the 1930s that the biggest factor in decay was what goes into our bodies, specifically processed foods.  The people groups he studied all over the world had no signs of decay or crowding until the Western diet was introduced, he had the chance to study them before and after.  Why isn’t this knowledge widely known?  It’s not in the best interest of the packaged food industry or the toothpaste and floss industries that we know this information.  Hmmm.  Read more here.

 We hear a lot about the benefits of tea, especially green tea, that it has anti-cancerous properties, BUT did you know that non-organic tea contains very high levels of fluoride; much higher than the government thinks is safe for our drinking water.  For some reason tea leaves store up the fluoride that comes from the polluted ground, so if you want to drink tea, you are much better off with organic tea.  Read more here.

 We hear that we need to eat whole grains, whole wheat breads, pasta, crackers, and cereals to get our daily intake of fiber, BUT did you know that grain contains an anti-nutrient called phytic acid that actually robs your body of minerals when you ingest it?  We can treat our grains and/or sprout them to eliminate the phytic acid, but we should also be getting the bulk of our fiber from vegetables and fruit.  Ezekiel Bread is an example of a sprouted bread.  Read more here.

 We have been led to believe that saturated fat and cholesterol clogs the arteries, BUT the plaque removed from arteries contains very little cholesterol and mostly unsaturated fat, 74%, in fact.  (Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon pg. 84)

 We are told that Canola is a wonder oil because it provides Omega-3, BUT it contains twice as much Omega-6 which we don’t need AND the Omega-3 it contains is damaged.  Don’t be conned by packages that claim their food is a good source of Omega-3, Hellman’s Mayonnaise is a prime example.

 We are led to believe that skim milk helps keep us trim, BUT farmers feed skim milk to their pigs to fatten them up!  (Nourishing Traditions, pg. 212, quoting The Milk Book by William Campbell Douglass, MD)

 We are led to believe that we need to get our daily supply of dairy products in order to get enough calcium, BUT if you are consuming pasteurized dairy, your body can’t use the calcium it’s getting!  In the pasteurization process many of the vitamins are destroyed, the enzymes are destroyed and the fat is oxidized (rancid) and then synthetic vitamins are added.  Unless you get enough real vitamin D and fat, you can’t use the calcium.  Milk, it does a body good?  Don’t be conned by marketing campaigns!  The calves should give us a clue – when they are fed pasteurized milk, they do poorly and many die before maturity.  Read more here.

 Merck has developed a new vaccine for young girls to help prevent the spread of cervical cancer, BUT cervical cancer is an avoidable disease, if you know how to avoid it.  A virus that is sexually transmitted causes it.  If these girls were just educated on how cervical cancer is contracted and what they can do to prevent getting it (abstinence), then we wouldn’t have such an epidemic.  Read more here.

 Many of us buy “Cage Free” eggs at the store because we feel they are healthy and we have visions of chickens roaming free on lush green fields, BUT unfortunately the US Department of Agriculture defines “free-range” as chickens that have “access to the outside”.  How much time do they spend cooped up?  How much time do they really go outside?  Are they eating their natural diet or some cheap feed that allows the farmers to profit more?  The best eggs to get are local; know how the chickens are treated and what they are eating.  Read more here.

 We believe that organics are healthy, BUT did you know that many organics have little or no vitamins and minerals?!?  It is great that the farmers are committed to growing produce free from dangerous chemical fertilizers and pesticides, but unless they are feeding the soil, they are not producing a quality product.  Plus when you pick a fruit or vegetable before it’s ripe and ship it halfway across the country, it won’t have much vitamin and mineral content.  This is what most of us have access to, so-called organics that come from far away.  It’s unfortunate that “organic” is a buzz word now and marketers are using that to their advantage.

 So, hopefully I have given you some food for thought.  I am sure there are numerous more examples of this that we can think of.  It pays to do your homework, always question and expect the truth!

Think Outside the Box

…And outside the package for that matter.  But really I’m talking about trying new things.  We will crave what we feed ourselves and we can acquire the taste for practically anything.  What I mean is that the more sweets and junk food you eat, the more you will crave it.  The more health food you eat, the more you will crave it.  I made a batch of naturally fermented pickles and beets (they are full of enzymes, vitamins and probiotics, fabulous living foods).  They were so delicious.  I got to where I was craving my beet kvass (the beet juice) every day.  I have gone through kicks of drinking a raw apple cider vinegar tonic daily (again, full of enzymes) and would look forward to it and crave it.  I even noticed that if I were craving a sweet the craving would go away if I had something sour, like vinegar or pickles.   

When there is a strong motivation you get creative and you make yourself like things.  Typically a big motivator is weight, I know it shouldn’t be, but it is.  I tried lowcarb eating to lose some weight a few years ago and so had to get creative with foods.  As a result I got hooked on some really healthy foods.  I started eating plain yogurt instead of the sweetened varieties, like Yoplait for example.  I used to hate the taste of the plain yogurt; I was very accustomed to the sweet kind.  But I made myself eat it because it was high in protein and fat, but very low in carbs.  The carbs are actually lower than the nutrition facts even tell you.  The nutrition facts are figured based on the milk before the yogurt making process.  But during the process the lactose (milk sugar) is converted into lactic acid.  So I tried it and became very accustomed to it and love it now.  I eat it practically every morning with my eggs and have started making my own, so I can have a product that is organic, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free for a fraction of the cost.  I started my daughter on it at 9 months old and now at 2 she still loves it.  I have discovered that a dollop of plain yogurt is a wonderful addition to my waffle topped with fruit sauce; it is reminiscent of whipped cream.  Yogurt is a great source of beneficial bacteria (probiotics). 

While on the lowcarb diet I also discovered quite a few vegetables that are so delicious that I didn’t even know I liked.   You want to stay away from breads, pasta, and potatoes on lowcarb diets, so I found myself substituting vegetables.  I found that I really like sautéed zucchini and yellow summer squash, steamed spinach, asparagus and roasted winter squash, particularly acorn and butternut squash.  I think when vegetables are prepared properly most people will like them.  All these foods are so good because they are full of fiber, something we don’t get enough of in our standard American diet. 

In our effort to cut out packaged foods, we are now making homemade muffins to eat for breakfasts and snacks instead of granola bars.  (I just make a big batch on the weekends; I’m not making these every day!)  We also make homemade popcorn for snacks instead of chips.  When popcorn is cooked in good fat it is a healthy food, it’s a whole grain and so has plenty of fiber.  I started cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts for my husband to use for lunchmeat instead of deli meat.  Lunchmeats contain fillers and chemicals like nitrites and nitrates.  Plus I’m saving so much money this way. 

So think outside the box, substitute something healthy for unhealthy, acquire the taste for new foods.  Have some oatmeal for breakfast instead of cold cereal; it’s less processed.  Try natural sweeteners (not artificial).  I use Stevia in my tea and it tastes great.  This can apply to other areas as well; try natural remedies instead of always reaching for medicine, try baking soda and vinegar to clean house with instead of toxic chemicals. 

Roasted Winter Squash
With fall here now I am in the mood for squash.  Most of the time I like to eat it roasted and mashed as a side dish instead of mashed potatoes.  I cut it in half and scoop out the seeds.  Then I place it on a pan and roast it at 375° – 400°F for about an hour or until it is fork tender.  Then I scoop the squash out of the skin and mash with butter and salt.  This works for all winter squash varieties, Acorn, Butternut, etc.  I haven’t had success with steaming it, it seems to hold water and you don’t want watery squash on your plate. Here is another yummy way to cook Butternut Squash.  If you have never tried Butternut Squash before, this is a great recipe to try, since there are other flavors here as well.

Pasta with Butternut Squash

This is from Bon Appetit, October 1997 issue.  I have made a few minor adjustments. 

¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried (I didn’t have any on hand the other day so I used 5^th Season brand Italian Herb blend instead)

3 ¼ cups 1/3-inch pieces peeled Butternut Squash (I don’t measure, I just cut one squash into cubes)

8 ounces plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped (I always use a 14oz. Can of diced tomatoes)

½ cup water

2 ½ ounces ¼-inch thick prosciutto slices, finely chopped (I’m sure this would be quite delicious, but here in Tulsa I have yet to find prosciutto at the store)

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I usually omit this, too.  It tastes great without it so why make things difficult.)

12 ounces shell pasta (recipe calls for medium shells, I like small shells, use whatever shape you like as long as it’s similar to shells, for example you wouldn’t want to use angel hair pasta, it just wouldn’t work.)

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (feel free to use Kraft, I do for this) 

Now a Butternut Squash doesn’t peel easily like a potato or carrot.  You will want a sharp knife.  I slice off the stem at the top and slice a small slice off the bottom so that it will sit flat.  I then stand the squash up on its end and take my knife and slice thin strips of the peel off in a downward motion.  Then when the squash is peeled I cut it in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds.  For this recipe you want small cubes.  I cut my squash halves into slices and then cut cubes from the slices.  I hope this makes sense, it’s really fairly simple.  Next time I make this recipe I will have to take pictures. 

Heat ¼ cup Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, celery and rosemary and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the squash cubes, tomatoes and ½ cup water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.   

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite.  Drain.  Return pasta to same pot. 

Add 2 tablespoons oil and squash mixture to the pasta and toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with Parmesan cheese.  The original recipe says to toss with the Parmesan in the pan, but every time I do that the cheese ends up sticking to the pan and the spoons.  I hate waste so I just garnish at the table and toss in my own bowl.