Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is a guest post from Sammi of Grounded & Surrounded

I don’t know about you, but winter squash used to intimidate me. I would warily eye it from across the grocery store and wonder if it was to eat or only to be used as holiday table decor. You see, I didn’t grow up eating winter squash and, to be honest, it has only been within recent years that I even knew what a winter squash was.

Like many of you, I didn’t realize that pumpkins, butternut, spaghetti, and acorn squashes are all considered winter squash. And lo and behold, they can be transformed into the most delicious recipes!

You will find the key to cooking winter squash is patience. Patience peeling (if needed), patience scooping out the seeds, and patience with the longer than normal cooking time. With that said, your patience will not be in vain once you taste your delicious and simple recipes.

This particular acorn squash creation graces our table each Thanksgiving as well as a few other times throughout the year. The filling made of fresh apples, soft pecans, and tart dried cranberries drizzled with sweet maple syrup bake just long enough for the flavors to infuse the squash and produce the most delicious and filling side dish.

As you can see, gone are the days of my winter squash intimidation. My hope is that after trying this simple recipe yourself you will feel the same way too!

Here is what you need:

2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeds scooped out
2 small apples, peeled and diced
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
4 Tbsp butter, divided
2 Tbsp maple syrup, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F. Cut each acorn squash in half and remove the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.

Step 2: If the squash does not sit flat, use a large knife to cut the outer skin little by little to create a flat surface on the underside of the rounded squash. Try not to cut to deep as a whole in the bottom would allow all the sweet juices from the filling to leak out.

Step 3: Place each flat bottomed squash  half (orange flesh side up) on a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

Step 4: Next, stir together the filling of diced apples, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, coconut sugar, salt and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl.

Step 5: Then divide the filling between the four squash halves until each squash is heaping full.

Step 6: Top each stuffed squash with a tablespoon of butter divided into quarters. lastly, drizzle the tops of each squash with a 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup. Bake for 60-75 minutes. After the squash has baked for 30 minutes loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the filling from burning. Squash is done when tines of a fork are inserted into the flesh of the squash with ease.

 

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Recipe: Stuffed Acorn Squash

Summary: This particular acorn squash creation graces our table each Thanksgiving. The filling made of fresh apples, soft pecans, and tart dried cranberries drizzled with sweet maple syrup bake just long enough for the flavors to infuse the squash and produce the most delicious and filling side dish.

Ingredients

2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeds scooped out
2 small apples, peeled and diced
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
4 Tbsp butter, divided
2 Tbsp maple syrup, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt



Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut each acorn squash in half and remove the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
If the squash does not sit flat, use a large knife to cut the outer skin little by little to create a flat surface on the underside of the rounded squash. Try not to cut to deep as a whole in the bottom would allow all the sweet juices from the filling to leak out.
Place each flat bottomed squash half (orange flesh side up) on a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
Next, stir together the filling of diced apples, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, coconut sugar, salt and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl.
Then divide the filling between the four squash halves until each squash is heaping full.
Top each stuffed squash with a tablespoon of butter divided into quarters. lastly, drizzle the tops of each squash with a 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup. Bake for 60-75 minutes. After the squash has baked for 30 minutes loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the filling from burning. Squash is done when tines of a fork are inserted into the flesh of the squash with ease.

Preparation time: 5-7 minutes

Cooking time: 60-75 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Sammi Ricke likes to keep things simple, delicious, and nutritious in her kitchen. She enjoys the challenge of finding unique ways to incorporate “just one more whole food” into every meal while leaving just enough room for life’s essentials: chocolate and peanut butter. If you are looking for “healthified” versions of your family’s favorite meals be sure to visit Sammi’s Grounded & Surrounded Blog. You can also find her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

 

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