Stuffed Acorn Squash
One of the most important aspects of eating well is ensuring that you are eating with the seasons. As the seasons begin to turn and we head into the cooler months, our dietary needs begin to change. We no longer need as many fresh fruits and berries, but our bodies require more warming foods to help us adjust to the cooler climate. Fortunately, each season offers a new array of beautiful fresh produce, and this is a great time to start experimenting with new ingredients and flavours.
See more from Stephanie Kay at www.kaynutrition.com
Ingredients
- two acorn squash, halved and seeded
- one tbsp olive oil
- six rashes bacon
- one large leek, diced
- two cloves garlic, minced
- two cups kale, roughly chopped
- one cups rice, cooked
- one cups walnuts, roughly chopped
- two tbsp dried cranberries
- one cup vegetable or chicken broth
- one tsp sea salt
- one tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Cut the acorn squash in half, remove seeds and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes or until tender.
3. While the squash is cooking, prepare the stuffing.
4. In a skillet on medium heat, cook bacon until brown but not crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. In the same skillet, remove the excess bacon fat, and cook the diced leeks for 3-4 minutes until tender, and add the minced garlic for final 30 seconds.
6. Add the kale and broth to the pan and cook until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
7. While the kale is cooking, dice the bacon into bite size pieces.
8. Once the kale is cooked, stir in cooked rice, walnuts, dried cranberries and bacon. Remove from heat and set aside.
9. When the squash are done cooking remove them from the oven and fill cavities with rice stuffing.
10. Return stuffed squash to the oven for another 5 minutes.
11. Serve warm and enjoy!