Butternut squash is in season now, and is great for a roasted vegetable medley or soup. This pile of squash was photographed at Tangleweed Farm in Tehachapi on Saturday, Oct. 10. Photo by Jennifer Baldwin

By Michelle Beck

This is the first in an occasional series of columns in which I will encourage you to eat healthful, local food and do my best to make it simple. I am not interested in the new “miracle” food nor do I believe in processed chemicals masquerading as food. I believe people should eat real food, lots of plants and small amounts of the best treats possible. I initially converted to the whole-food movement because I have food allergies, which rule out most processed foods. If my allergies disappeared tomorrow, I wouldn’t go back to processed food because real food just tastes better. I run into many people who want to convert to a healthier lifestyle, but don’t know how. They may eat only a limited number of vegetables and have no idea what to do with other kinds. Some don’t know where to buy local, seasonal produce, and some think it is just too difficult.

If you do not know why it is important to eat whole, seasonal food, other people have explained it far better than I. Here are some good ways to educate yourself:

Read:

• “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan
• “In Defense of Food” also by Michael Pollan
• “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver

Surf:

• www.localharvest.org
• www.animalvegetablemiracle.com
• www.cheesemaking.com

If you are interested in buying seasonal food, you have some local options:

Local produce is available at Bakersfield’s Farmers’ Market located in the parking lot of Golden State Mall at 3201 F St. from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday, year-round. There are other farmers’ markets around town, but most are seasonal. Kaiser Permanente’s market will break at the end of October and more seasonal markets are listed at kernfarmersmarkets.com. While there are many small local farmers offering their own produce, there are a few at the markets who are produce brokers, so ask the farmers before buying.

Abundant Harvest Organics offers a type of CSA (community-supported agriculture). Subscribers pay a fee and receive a box of seasonal, organic produce once a week. While some produce is from Kern County, Abundant Harvest obtains produce from growers in other parts of the valley as well. Add-ons, such as organic meat, milk, butter and cheese are also available. Learn more at www.abundantharvestorganics.com.

What is this vegetable, and what do I do with it?

I have been a farmers’ market shopper for years and always enjoyed many kinds of vegetables, but my quest to eat seasonally caused me to expand my repertoire. Many times, I found myself with a new vegetable trying to figure out what, exactly, I should do with it. Fortunately, I discovered some helpful sources.

“Perfect Vegetables” by Cook’s Illustrated. This book is organized alphabetically by vegetable and gives several ways to prepare each item. It has been a lifesaver more than once.

“Everyday Food” by Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the book offer simple recipes using seasonal ingredients.I keep my magazines and pull out the appropriate month when planning meals.

In Season Right Now: Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is a large, beige, hard-shelled squash. Famous among babies everywhere for its sweet taste and ability to smear smoothly on a highchair tray, butternut squash also makes excellent soup for adults. Www.recipezaar.com has many butternut soup recipes, from creamy to sweet and from smooth to chunky.

Butternut squash is also excellent roasted. To roast, simply peel with a palm-held vegetable peeler, cut in half, and scoop out and discard the seeds. (If you use a knife for peeling instead, be very, very careful. The peeler is really safer.) Cut the squash into bite-sized chunks. Put on a rimmed cookie sheet with other peeled and chopped vegetables, such as potatoes, onions, garlic cloves, carrots and cauliflower. Drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste, then roast in a 450-degree oven for 12ish minutes. Stir from time to time and keep an eye on it — cooking time can vary greatly depending on how many veggies you have on the tray. These roasted veggies are great as a side dish and leftovers can also be pureed with some broth for a good soup.

If you have a baby around and have never made baby food, it is surprisingly easy and much cheaper than buying it. Just cut an unpeeled butternut squash in half, put it cut-side down on an oiled cookie sheet or baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until soft (depending on the size of the squash, 30 minutes or more). Scoop out the baked squash and puree in a blender with a couple of tablespoons of water. Put the puree in an ice cube tray and freeze until firm. Pop the cubes out, put them in a Ziploc bag and defrost as needed.