Calabacitas

Fun Facts

Fun Facts:

• Squash is considered a fruit botanically, because it has seeds on the inside of the part we eat. 
  
• There are over 100 different varieties of squash, from sweet (pumpkin) to not so sweet (crooked neck)
  
• Squash (Zucchini) has no flavor, therefore you can add it to anything and it will absorb whatever the predominant flavor is. 
  
• Although zucchini and Mexican squash look similar and can be used interchangeably, one is from Italy and the other is from Mesoamerica. With both having a known ancestor dating back over 7000 years. 
  

Nutrition:

• Squash (zucchini) adds fiber, water and bulk to foods with very little calories.
  
• Contains folate, vitamin A, and potassium. 
  
• Other types of squash, particularly the orange and red flesh varieties, like butternut or pumpkin, are chock full of beta carotene.
  
• For calabacitas, when stewing tomatoes and garlic and onions together, nutrition is amplified. There is a mysterious chemical reaction that takes place that makes vitamins and minerals more bio-available.