Super Foods: The Sequel

Continue to maintain your superhero status with even more edible wonders, including an orange wonder, rainbow-colored morsels, and some seriously healthy seeds. How sweet! Butternut squash joins the all-stars of healthy foods.

If you like yams or potatoes, you'll like this fruit (yes, fruit) because it is similar in taste and texture. What's more, this hearty and delicious orange-colored food is a super source of beta carotene (400% DV) and a notable source of calcium (10% DV). And, like potatoes, butternut squash taste great baked, mashed and fried. Next, give those lovely lentils another look. These beans are available in a variety of colors such as yellow, green, red and brown. And because they are rich in folate and fiber, they are extremely beneficial to the heart.

What's more, lentils cook quickly in under twenty minutes and you don't need to presoak them like many other beans. Add cooked lentils to soups and salads for a protein and nutrient-packed punch. As you continue to strive for superhero status, don't forget about fantastic flaxseed. With a nutty taste and an abundant supply of omegas, protein and fiber, flaxseed rocks! And it's marvelously easy to incorporate into your diet. Sprinkle a couple of spoonfuls of milled flaxseed into hot/cold cereals or add to your favorite pancake/cookie batters for an extra nutritional kick. You can save time by buying ground flax, which is available at most grocery stores and health food shops.

And now for the best part of this article: A delicious, super-spin on the classically villainous side dish: french fries! Yes, we all enjoy a handful of crispy, salty french fries now and again. Unfortunately, most of us don't enjoy the more than 300 calories and 30 grams of fat an average serving of fries supplies. The good news is that you could get 100% of the taste with only 20% of the calories and 0% of the fat of french fries by substituting your best spud with a new bud, the butternut squash, instead.

To make this delicious side dish or snack, peel a butternut squash with a metal peeler or sharp knife. Then, slice it in half, and remove the seeds. Slice the squash halves into fry-shaped wedges. Coat a baking pan with your favorite non-sick spray and arrange the wedges on it. Place fries in a preheated oven (425 degrees) and bake for approximately 40 minutes (turning them halfway through), or until the edges of wedges become golden brown. Season with sea salt and pepper and enjoy healthfully!