The Results Are In...

This past Friday Mrs. Keefe's 3rd grade class also sampled roasted butternut squash and parnips from Goranson's Farm in Dresden. Many asked for seconds, (and thirds!) and the results were clear- the roasted vegetables tossed lightly with olive oil and sprinkled with salt were the class favorite. Many thanks to Mrs. Keefe's and Mrs. Pols's classes for sampling the veggies and determining the winning topping. We'll celebrate the results by sampling roasted butternut squash and parsnips as a school on Tuesday.

Here's a recap of our recent taste test in Mrs. Keefe's classroom:

We had some excellent choppers. (including Mrs. Rhines, a parent volunteer, and Karen Kleinkopf, of FARMS)

After all that chopping, we took a break and sampled a raw piece of squash and parsnip. We were pleasantly suprised with the taste, especially of the raw parsnip. Many found it similar to carrot, and admired the sweet smell. All of the students were eager to try the raw veggies- kudos to them for their adventurous spirit!

Then, we tossed the vegetables with olive oil...

divided them onto pans, and topped them with maple syrup, honey, or a dash of salt.

While they were roasting, Karen told us about Goranson Farm, and how the vegetables were grown.

Then Mrs. Keefe tied the taste test to what we had been learning in health class- nutrients, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and other elements of food. We brainstormed what might be in the vegetables, then examined the actual nutritional information. We were suprised at all the vitamin C in butternut squash, and amazed that according to our information, it didn't have fiber. Parsnips had plenty of fiber, and a suprising amount of B6.

Finally- the veggies were done! We sampled the 3 batches, and even had seconds. Everyone tried it- and many of us loved it!

Try it at home...

Roasted Butternut Squash and Parsnips

Ingredients:

- butternut squash

- parsnips

-olive oil

- salt, or honey, or maple syrup (or try all 3!)

Peel the squash if desired, and chop all vegetables. (The smaller the chop, the faster it cooks, we used about a 1/2 inch chop size) Toss all the vegetables with some olive oil, enough to coat.

Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some salt, or drizzle maple syrup or honey over the top. Roast at 425 for about 20-40 minutes, depending on the size of your chopped vegetables.

Enjoy!