Buttercup Squash, Apple, and Pear Salad

Many thanks to my aunt for showing us how to make this lovely substitute for a typical potato salad. The main ingredients - buttercup squash, apple, and pear - are all rich in carotenoids, fiber, and vitamin C, and also happen to be at their sugary best for most of us toward the end of summer and beginning of autumn.

In case you aren't familiar with buttercup squash, it looks like this:

Asian pears have brown, bosc-like skin. They look like large apples and have sweet and crisp flesh. The kind that my aunt used for this salad looks like this:

And here's a look at her buttercup squash, apple, and pear salad served on a bed of sesame leaves:

Ingredients:

1 buttercup squash
1 Fuji apple
1 Asian pear
Vegan or regular mayonnaise
Handful of grapes and walnuts (optional)
Sea salt

Directions:

1. Cut buttercup squash in half and steam or bake until flesh is tender. Once tender, remove seeds, scoop out flesh, and mash in a bowl. Set aside to cool.

2. Once your mashed buttercup squash has cooled, add bite-size chunks of Fuji apple (or any other crisp apple) and Asian pear. If you want to prevent browning of your apple chunks, you can dip them for a few seconds in sugar water and strain well before adding them to your squash.

3. If you enjoy grapes and walnuts, feel free to hand small handfuls of each for added texture and flavour.

4. As you gently fold all ingredients together, add in a bit of mayonnaise (you can start with a tablespoon) and a bit of sea salt. Add more of either ingredient as needed to suit your preferences with flavour and consistency.

This lovely squash salad is wonderfully satisfying on its own, and when serving it as a part of a larger meal, it pairs well with a leafy green salad or a protein-dense food such as an omelette made with organic eggs. I hope that you give it a try and enjoy it enough to share with loved ones.