Moroccan Chickpea-Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is a great side dish for chicken, pork or lamb. Or serve it as a stand-alone vegetarian meal. The sweetness of raisins and touch of cinnamon make the flavors of this simple dish memorable.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
3 uncooked medium acorn squash
2 tsp olive oil
11/2 cups chopped onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
3/4 tsp. cumin, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons sliced toasted almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Slice squash in half, stem to bottom; scoop out seeds.
Place the squash halves on the prepared pan, cut sides down. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
Stir in garlic, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. salt and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in chickpeas, water and raisins. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and raisins are soft.
When squash is tender, remove from oven. Flip squash over. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp cumin.
Stir lime juice into chickpea mixture. Divide evenly among squash halves. Sprinkle each with 1 tsp almonds. Serve hot.

(WW - 2 points)

Winter Salad with Roast Squash

This salad is a perfect accompaniment to roast pork tenderloin or ham. It offers layers of flavor from the sweetness of honey roasted squash, the tart taste of  pomegranate seeds and balsamic vinegar and the saltiness of pepitas and Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

1 small acorn squash, about 1 pound
1 small butternut squash
2 teaspoons honey
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
1 cup Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup pepitas
4 - 6 cups fresh spinach
2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Shaved Parmesan cheese or garnish

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice acorn squash into rounds about 1-inch thick. Cut each round in half. Remove seeds.
Peel butternut squash and cut into 1-inch chunks, removing seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the prepared squash on top, spreading out in a single layer. Drizzle honey and 2 Tablespoons olive oil over the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes or under soft. Remove from oven and allow to sit on baking sheet to cool slightly.

Remove the ends of the Brussels sprouts and half or quarter, depending on size. Place on small baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast until tender with crispy outer leaves, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit on baking sheet to cool slightly.

Spread pepitas on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and allow to toast slightly in the oven until they are a light brown, about 5 minutes.

In small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Place the spinach in large bowl and toss with the balsamic-olive oil mixture.

To assemble salad, place dressed spinach on large platter. Arrange roasted squash and Brussels sprouts on top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and pepitas. Garnish with shaved or grated Parmesan.

Stuffed Autumn Acorn Squash

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash
1 package Hormel sausage patties
1/2 of a small onion, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place cut side down in glass dish with 1/4 cup water.
Microwave for 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute the sausage, breaking it up while it cooks. Remove from pan. Saute onion until softened. Add apple and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes. Add brown sugar and sausage.
Turn squash right-side-up. Fill with sausage mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash

Whenever my friend, Kim, invites us to dinner, I seem to always come home with the recipe for what was served. She made this dish on a cold fall night and the flavors blended with the season perfectly.
She found this recipe originally on the Eating Well website. I have since made this dish many times and always enjoyed it.

Ingredients

3 acorn squash (about 3/4 - 1 pound each)
8 ounces bulk turkey sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Several dashes of hot red pepper sauce, to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese

Instructions

Heat oven to 375F.
Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
Cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, on prepared baking dish. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic, cumin and chili powder. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce.
Cover and reduce heat and summer until tomatoes have broken down, about 12 minutes.
When the squash are done, reduce oven temperature to 325F. Fill the squash with the turkey mixture.
Top with cheese. Place in baking dish and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, about 8-10 minutes.

Original recipe link here: www.eatingwell.com