Stuffed Acorn Squash
Servings: 6
Calories: 413.4kcal
A meal in an edible bowl.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 small acorn squash
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons black pepper divided
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- ½ cup yellow onion minced
- ½ cup carrots diced to1/8 inch thick pieces
- ½ cup celery iced to 1/8 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced to 1/4 inch pieces
- ¾ cup apple diced to 1/4 pieces, use a tart variety like Fuji
- 3 cups spinach baby
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons parsley chopped
- 2 teaspoons chives sliced
- ½ teaspoon rosemary chopped
- ½ teaspoon thyme chopped
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ¼ cup cranberries dried and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425° F. Set your oven rack to the center position.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and lightly grease with oil.
Prepare the Squash.
- Slice a small section off the bottom of squash to create a stable, flat surface. Then trim a small potion off the stem end to create another flat surface. Cut the squash in half width-wise through the center and scoop out the seed. Repeat with the other squash.
- Place them on the sheet pan.
Season the squash
- Brush olive oil on the inside and outside of the squash halves. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cinnamon and chil powder. Drizzle maple syrup inside the cavity and along the rim.
Roast
- Roast for 30 minutes or until the flesh is fork-tender.
Cook the Quinoa
- In a medium saucepan, add the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to simmer. Cover and cook until light and fluffy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Cook the Turkey
- In a large saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, and cook until no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces. about 6 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.
Cook the Vegetables and fruit.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the apples and cook for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add to the large bowl.
Make the filling
- To the large bowl with the turkey mixture, ad 2 cups of the cooked quinoa, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, garlic powder, lemon zest, parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, pecans, and cranberries. Stir to combine
- Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, stir to combine. Season to taste.
Stuff the Squash
- Scoop about 1/2 cup of the turkey stuffing into each acorn squash. Garnish with parsley, chives and pecans.
Notes
You can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
When reheating with microwave do so in 30 seconds increments until hot.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Nutrition
Calories: 413.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.3g | Protein: 25.4g | Fat: 14.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 41.6mg | Sodium: 661mg | Potassium: 1392mg | Fiber: 8.1g | Sugar: 5.9g | Vitamin A: 4497.9IU | Vitamin C: 48.2mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 4.3mg
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