Stuffed Acorn Squash

There’s probably a reason why I’ve always had such fond memories of fall… the food instantly gets about 50% better. My mother would always make acorn squash, which of course I would drown in butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Though I love all squash, this has remained a favorite for me. Since I do not have the side of rice that I once had on the side of my plate, I needed to find a meal that still incorporated some of the sweetness of the squash, minus the sugar, and add in more savory – make a meal out of it!

So before I went AIP or Paleo, I would do this same recipe but include grains, or top with candied pecans. Not to make you all drool or jealous, because I’m right there with ya, none of those things are in this!

This is a very warm, fuzzy, filling meal with a little sweet and a lot of savory (and my lunch today!), that only takes about 20 minutes start to finish to prep and cook!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:
1 whole acorn squash, cut horizontally in two halves

2 servings (5 C) baby spinach

2 servings of raw kale (pre-washed from Trader Joe’s is my favorite)

½ lb of ground turkey 93% lean (or grass fed ground beef)

¼ yellow onion

1.5 T coconut oil

1 t minced garlic

Cinnamon, salt, pepper, garlic, basil

Directions:

Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds, then place halves in two microwave-safe bowls, inside facing up like a bowl. Put ½ T of coconut oil in each of the halves. Sprinkle a few shakes of cinnamon over each, add salt, pepper and basil to taste. Cover the bowls with saran wrap and place in the microwave for 5 minutes on high.

While that’s going, dice up your onions, putting in a large skillet with ¼ T of coconut oil. Add minced garlic and stir until onions become softened just slightly. Then add your ½ lb ground turkey to the mixture and season with salt, pepper, and basil. Cook thoroughly.

In another skillet, place the last ¼ T of coconut oil, kale, and spinach, cooking on medium heat. Add a little salt, pepper, basil, and put a lid over this (or foil) so the steam cooks the kale. Stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes until either soft or a little crispy.

When the acorn squash in done in the microwave (CAUTION: EXTREMELY HOT!!!), use a fork or spoon to touch the squash to make sure it is soft, and easy to scoop out. If it is, remove from microwave carefully (I use hot pads), or if not, continue cooking for 1 minute intervals until reaching desired texture. Place your veggies on top, and ground turkey over top of that, and you have you meal! It sounds basic, because it is! I would let this all sit for about 5 minutes to cool before eating.

Nutrition facts:

Serves – 2

Calories per serving: 305

Carbohydrates: 34g

Fat: 17g

Protein: 27g

Sugar: 10g

Fiber: 5g