As the season changes and the weather grows cold, I often find myself turning to warm, sugary treats. However, seasonal Starbucks drinks, homemade Christmas cookies and creamy macaroni and cheese, while fantastic for chasing away the winter chill, don’t exactly have the nutritional value that I need to sustain myself.

Entering into the final stretch of the school year, it’s important to prioritize your health. The culmination of major projects, rapidly approaching exams and even the anticipation of stressful dinners with family can all pay a heavy toll on both mental and physical health.

The problem is, prioritizing health and eating healthy is difficult this time of year. Between the stress of balancing school and work and going to the grocery store only to find all of my favorite vegetables are out of season and are therefore overpriced, trying to incorporate nutrient-dense, fresh vegetables into my diet is a challenge. Luckily, I’ve found a simple solution: winter squash.

Winter squashes are not only in season but there’s a wide variety to choose from and whipping them into a healthy, hearty meal takes no skill and only the smallest bit of effort – you don’t even need to use exact quantities for seasonings. And because this is the season of gratitude and sharing, I’m going to give you three cheap, simple, beginner-level recipes that are perfect whether you need a warm meal to help you push through exams, a side-dish for Friendsgiving or to one-up that obnoxious family member at holiday meals who keeps trying to relegate you to the kid’s table.

All you need is enough common sense to not start a fire and a quick trip to the grocery store (and for those of you living on campus, an hour or so in the nearest dorm kitchen) and you’re ready to go.

Acorn Squash

First up, acorn squash. Acorn squash is packed full of vitamins and minerals – like calcium, magnesium and potassium – and has a rich, nutty taste. Ever since my roommate introduced me to this recipe, it has been one of my favorite comfort meals to eat on a cold or rainy day. This recipe requires barely any prep and only a handful of ingredients, so it’s a low-cost high reward meal.

You will need:
-a cutting board
-a baking sheet
-a knife (a chef’s knife)
-a spoon and fork (just a regular spoon and fork)
Ingredients:
-acorn squash
-salt
-pepper
-butter
-optional: maple syrup, brown sugar or honey

Preheat your oven to 400℉. At this point, you can line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper if you have some on hand, but this is optional.
With the knife, cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise. Then use the spoon to scrape out the seeds and the stringy bits.
With the knife, score or slash the inside of each half of the squash. Rub the butter onto the squash generously until coated, and then sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Place the halves upside down on the baking sheet with the skin side up.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the skin of the squash can easily be pierced by a fork.
Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. You can either scoop the squash in a bowl or eat it straight from the rind. I don’t recommend eating the skin.
If you like a sweeter profile, you can add maple syrup, brown sugar, honey and/or cinnamon.

Spaghetti Squash:

A warm plate of spaghetti on a cold day is a personal favorite. However, although I believe that carbs are an important part of a balanced diet, substituting noodles for squash is an easy way to get some added nutritional benefits like fiber, magnesium and vitamin B6.

You will need:
-a cutting board
-a baking sheet
-a knife (a chef’s knife)
-a spoon and fork (just a regular spoon and fork)
Ingredients:
-spaghetti squash
-olive oil
-salt
-pepper
-tomato-based pasta sauce
-mozzarella or parmesan cheese
-optional: feta cheese and black olives

Preheat your oven to 400℉. At this point, you can line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper if you have some on hand, but this is optional.
With the knife, cut the top off of the spaghetti squash and then cut it in half lengthwise. Use the spoon to scrape out the seeds and the stringy bits.
Rub olive oil onto the squash generously until coated, and then sprinkle on top a pinch of salt and pepper.
Place the halves upside down on the baking sheet with the shell side up.
Bake for an hour, or until the skin of the squash can easily be pierced by a fork.
Allow the squash to cool enough to handle, then with the spoon scoop out the squash. It should have a stringy, spaghetti-like consistency as you scoop it out.
Add pasta sauce and cheese to your spaghetti squash. If you’re feeling bold, try using feta cheese and adding sliced black olives. They’ll add a hint of saltiness, which balances out a sweeter tomato sauce.

Pumpkin Soup

This pumpkin soup is a warm, creamy number with a nutty flavor and a small kick of spice. Perfect for a Friendsgiving meal or Christmas dinner. It takes a little bit more effort to make this recipe, but it’s well worth the effort. The best part is you can make it in advance because it tastes even better the next day.

You will need:
-cutting board
-baking sheet
-a knife (a chef’s knife)
-a spoon and fork (just a regular spoon and fork)
-stirring spoon
-large pot
-blender
Ingredients:
-4 lb pumpkin (I use a pie pumpkin, and it doesn’t have to be exactly 4lb)
-4 tbsp of olive oil
-a large onion, chopped
-5 garlic cloves or a ton of garlic powder
-½ teaspoon sea salt
-½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
-½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
-A dash of cayenne pepper
-Freshly ground black pepper
-4 cups vegetable broth (chicken or beef broth is also acceptable)
-½ cup heavy cream
-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

Preheat your oven to 400℉. At this point, you can line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper if you have some on hand, but this is optional.
With the knife, cut the top off of the pumpkin and then cut it in half lengthwise. Use the spoon to scrape out the seeds and the stringy bits. You can save and roast the seeds, but I personally think it’s more trouble than it’s worth.
Rub one tbsp of olive oil onto the pumpkin generously until coated
Place the halves upside down on the baking sheet with the skin side up.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin can easily be pierced by a fork.
Allow the pumpkin to cool enough to handle, then peel the skin off.
Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of the large pot. Add in onion, garlic and salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add the pumpkin (sans skin), cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and black pepper to the pot. Break the pumpkin pieces up with the stirring spoon.
Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Mix in the heavy cream and the honey.
Allow the soup to cool slightly, and then blend with the blender until there are no chunks.
Serve warm and enjoy, or allow the soup to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.