PS or PP: Baked Acorn Squash

Chef:  Terri Edwards
Makes:  2 servings
Prep Time:  20 minutes
Cook Time:  40 minutes (overlap squash and stuffing cook times)
Total Time:  1 hour 

INGREDIENTS

Baked Acorn Squash

• 1 whole Acorn Squash
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1 t salt
• 1 t maple syrup

Acorn Squash Stuffing

• 1 small onion chipped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 c wild or long brown rice (or your favorite)
• 1 ½ c water
• ½ t ground curry; mild
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 2 whole cloves
• ½ t sage
• ¼ c walnuts, chopped (If you leave out the walnuts and black sesame seeds below, this recipe would be PP)
• Fresh chopped parsley
• Maple syrup
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Black sesame seeds (Eliminate for PP)

DIRECTIONS

Baked Acorn Squash

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Take Acorn Squash and puncture with a knife, 5-6 times is plenty
3. Place in preheated oven (on parchment) and bake for 30-40 minutes.  While this is cooking start your stuffing.
4. After baking, slice in half.
5. Remove seeds and stringy parts with a spoon in the center.
6. Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon., then the maple syrup.

Acorn Squash Stuffing

1. While squash is baking in the oven, prepare stuffing by cooking the rice.
2. Heat 3 T of veggie broth over medium high heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook, until                                                                                                             
3. soft and golden brown.
4. Add rice, curry powder, cinnamon, sage, cloves and ½ t salt and stir until spices are toasted, about 1 minute.
5. Add 1 ½ c water and bring to a simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.  Simmer 30-40 minutes (different brands may take different times or require more liquid if needed).  Remove from heat.
6. Evenly stuff the scooped-out squash halves with filling.
7. Drizzle with maple syrup, cinnamon, parsley, walnuts and a few grinds of pepper. 
8. Serve warm.

TERRI EDWARDS is a Licensed Food for Life Instructor and Educator.  Connect with Terri at her blog EatPlant-Based.com & blog.eatplant-based.com for her latest recipes and plant-based living tips. Follow her on FaceBook at (https://www.facebook.com/EatPlantBased/)