Squash for Breakfast

So, I've been dabbling with gluten-freedom for the last few weeks. And by dabbling I mean I've been 99% gluten-free. Kind of the same way I dabbled with vegetarianism for a couple of years... It has been a wonderful experience for me and not nearly as difficult as I once may have thought. Since working at Wild Oats several years ago I have known that many natural nutritionists and naturopaths consider gluten to be an unhealthy thing in anyone's diet. Not to mention if you are gluten-sensitive or gluten-intolerant. It's just not very easy to digest and today's bread products have so much more of it than even ten or twenty years ago. Because the higher the stretchy, elastic gluten in a bread the more chewy and moist and yummy it seems. Bread product makers start out with high gluten flour and then add vital wheat gluten to it. Making every slice of bread, bun and bagel turn into a virtual sticky disaster in your gut. I have a testy gut to begin with, add to that eating gluten at every meal and it's no wonder I wasn't feeling great.

I decided to cleanse. Cleansing for me means vegetables, lots of vegetables. No sugar. Limited dairy, and for the first time I decided I would also go gluten free. For at least a week. Well, after the first week and one teeny slip on the gluten I felt so good I decided to do it one more week and then another. This past week I've had gluten twice, which is still a huge change from my usual three or more times a day and I still feel really good. I've lost five pounds, without doing additional exercise.
One of the most difficult changes for me was breakfast. I am a bread fanatic in the morning. I want pancakes. I want a bagel. I want a muffin with a side of muffin! I found a few things that did it for me. I'll do my next post on Greek yogurt parfaits I promise... but, the first thing that really clicked and I keep going back to is squash.

If you have read my blog in the past you know I am a voracious squashavore anyways. (Squishy Dishes) I love squash in all ways and many varieties. I don't know why it never occurred to me what a wonderful breakfast they would make! I've used several different kinds that I've found at the farmer's market, acorn, buttercup, butternut. Simply cut the squash in halves or quarters and scoop out the seeds. While you are making your coffee let the squash roast in a hot 400 degree oven. I either turn the halves upside down in a water bath or slather them with coconut oil and place them on a pan skin side down. In about a half hour when the squash is nice and soft (and browned if it was left upright) take it out and score it with a butter knife. You can then dot it with some butter, cinnamon and maple syrup and voila! One half of a squash is enough to satisfy me and make me feel like I've had pancakes for breakfast. Without the tired and bloaty feeling I would usually get from pancakes.

If you have ever thought of cutting down on your gluten intake, or if you are just looking for something new for breakfast or brunch, I hope you will give this a try!