Many people might be tempted to abandon a plant forward diet as we shift into the cooler weather and away from the many types of produce available throughout summertime. However, autumn has many delicious crops to offer, not least of all squash. Acorn squash is a popular example of fall produce, and is jam-packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals. In particular, it comes loaded with vitamin C, great for boosting your immune system as we move closer to cold and flu season, and with B vitamins, which are fantastic for your metabolism and the production of red blood cells.
Kristin Brewer DeBoard, Marketing and Nutrition Manager for the Williamson Farmers Market, shared one of her favorite recipes for working with this versatile crop. To see the original article, check it out here. For the Williamson Forward summary, continue reading.
Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash
You Will Need:
3 small or medium acorn squash
2tsp coconut oil or ghee
1 lb pork sausage, casing removed
4 oz any kind mushrooms, chopped
1 small diced onion
2 diced celery stalks
2 cloves diced garlic
1 Diced Apple (any is fine, but original recipe favors Pink Lady apples)
1 tbsp fresh minced sage
1 tbsp minced rosemary leaves
1 tbsp minced thyme leaves
⅓ cup raisins or dried cranberries
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut squash lengthwise, and remove seeds/strings.
Brush squash with melted ghee or coconut oil, sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and place face down on a baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the top of the squash is soft to the touch.
Fry sausage in a skillet alongside ghee or oil, breaking up lumps as needed. Once finished, remove sausage, leaving fat in the skillet.
Add onions, celery and mushrooms to the skillet and allow to soften. Add garlic, stirring to prevent burning.
Add apples, herbs, and seasoning. Cook 1-2 minutes to allow apples to soften. Add raisins/cranberries and sausage. Continue to cook to allow flavors to mix.
Once squash is finished roasting, remove from the oven. Flip, and place stuffing mixture in the “bowls” created by removing the seeds of the squash.
Set the oven to broil, and allow to broil for 5 minutes, or until brown on top.
The great thing about this recipe is that it is also receptive to being prepped beforehand. Prepare your squash and stuffing in advance, and when the time comes, combine and broil for a faster meal.