Stuffed Acorn Squash

by | Sep 24, 2022

Share this post!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword comfort foods, egg-free, Fall, fiber, gluten-free, herbs, phytonutrients, seasonal, Squash
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 Tblsp avocado oil, divided
  • 1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt
  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey (pastured if able)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 swiss chard leaves & stalks, finely chopped (keep separate)
  • 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced (remove stems)
  • 1 cup cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
  • 1 medium apple, organic (Fuji, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp)
  • 2 sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  2. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet (I prefer the compostable option).

  3. Cut the acorn squash in half from end-to-end and remove the seeds with a spoon.

  4. Add 1 tsp avocado oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper (as desired) to each squash half.

  5. Place the squash, face down, on the baking sheet and bake for ~40-45 minutes or until the skin is able to be pierced by a fork.

  6. While the squash is baking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  7. When the skillet is hot, add 2 tsp avocado oil and the ground poultry, stirring occasionally, until there is no pink color left.

  8. Remove the ground poultry from the skillet and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.

  9. Add the diced onion to the skillet, cooking ~5-7 minutes until it's translucent.

  10. Add the swiss chard stalks and saute for ~2 minutes.

  11. Add the mushrooms and cook another ~3-5 minutes, until the mushrooms have shrunk and browned.

  12. Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet and cook until softened ~5 minutes.

  13. Add the apples and swiss chard leaves to the skillet and cook until the apples have softened and the chard is wilted ~3 minutes.

  14. Turn the heat off, add the herbs, and stir until completely mixed in. Taste and add salt as desired.

  15. Remove the acorn squash from the oven, once done, and flip the halves over. Divide the filling between the two halves. Enjoy!

Want to learn more first? Book a Discovery Call with Cindi

Cindi Lockhart

RDN, LD, IFNCP

Meet Cindi

Integrative & Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner

Growing up I was overweight and ate a diet made up of convenient, processed foods. Then, when I was 16 years old, I had a tonsillectomy that resulted in weight loss. Seeing that I actually had muscle beneath my fat was enough to inspire me to abandon the unhealthy habits I had learned — I started exercising regularly, preparing nutritious meals and moving toward a holistic way of living.

As happy as I was about my new way of life, I was even more ecstatic when I learned I could make a career out of helping others do the same.