SUMMER SQUASH or ZUCCHINI
Squash family contains several different vegetables, including all the different forms of squashes, cucumbers, and melons. When we eat a summer squash we can feel that this veggie is somehow a blend of its relatives - it has a shape and some taste of a cucumber, but also some sweetness that we find in a melon. Cooked summer squash has a softer texture than a raw one, and it also have a mild aroma, and they suit very well together with many other vegetables. Even though they are called summer squashes, they can nowadays be bought generally at any time of the year, however they may not taste as good as the seasonal summer veggies. It kind of depends on how they are cultivated. Summer squash also comes in a variety of shapes and colors, but the most well-known are probably the cucumber-shaped green or yellow vegetables. Zucchini is the most popular form of summer squash, but also the crookneck and straightneck squash is quite high in demand.
When you buy summer squash, look for the specimens with a shiny, unblemished skin. They should not be too hard either, because then they are overripened and have an unwelcoming texture, to say the least. Also, choose the squash that has an average size - not too big and not too small - for its flavor's sake. Once you buy a squash, be careful not to damage it as it will go bad it it's punctured.
Summer squash is best when it is young, and usually when it is harvested during the warm periods of the year. You don't have to peel the skin of the squash - it is entirely edible, and some squashes also develop edible flowers. Summer squashes are quite resistant to storage in a cold temperature (8 C/48 F), as they will keep there for about a week or even longer.
Cooking squash is pretty straightforward - either cook it in water until it's more soft or fry it in some oil until it's lightly browned. You can also bake it, steam it, or you can eat it raw. When you have access to cheap seasonal summer squashes, a creamy puréed soup is a nice idea. You can combine this vegetable with almost any other veggie, and whether you want to make the dish more spicy, more sweet, or more sour - the squash will gladly support it (unless you do something really weird!).
From the health perspective, summer squash is a real vitamin and mineral injection. It contains a variety of vitamins, and also some omega-3 fatty acids that normally solely come to us from the fish. Summer squash is high on manganese, magnesium, and of course on dietary fiber. In other words, it is wise to eat this vegetable to improve our health and prevent development of a number of disorders, including cancer, cardiovascular problems, and the male benign prostata hypertrophy. The only bad thing about summer squash, for some people, is its relatively high amount of oxalates - the salts that could worsen any kidney or bladder stone problems. If you are among those in this risk group then you should reduce your squash consumption.