Fall harvest Acorn squash stuffed with spiralized apples
Even though the weather hasn't quite achieved that auspicious crisp fall feel- where you can walk outside and literally smell fall- the fact that it is the month of September warrants some celebration of fall traditions. And what better way to ring in the new season than with food? Also, it just so happens that squash is one of my favorite foods, and even though I insist on eating it throughout all seasons of the year, at least now I am eating the food at it's appropriate time.
So this past weekend when my friend and I were wondering what to make for dinner, of course I thought of acorn squash! Because I'll take any opportunity I can to get one of those warm creamy plants from farm, to oven, to my belly. Thus, the cooking commenced and along with that feelings of fall, warmth, and good company.
However, as much as I love squash, what really blew me away about this recipe was the apple stuffing. Previously I have had stuffed squash with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar and really liked it, but always found the chunks of apple a bit much to take in with the squash, given that they are both somewhat dense and large in size. To combat that issue, I thought, why not spiralize the apple?! By spiralizing the apple, the apple really gets broken down and is a much more suitable size for a stuffing mixture. It easily fits into the alcove in the squash. Also, the cinnamon, cranberries, and coconut butter perfectly flavor the apples so they have a lovely sweet warm fall like taste (I'm really liking this fall theme if you can't tell).
To be honest, the squash could have faired even without the salami or sunflower seeds, but if you are looking for a meal with a little more substance, then I would go ahead and add it in. However, if you are looking for a vegan dish, this would be a great filling meal without the meat.
Probably the best part of this meal was sharing it in the good company of friends and taking in the new school year at hand. With squash and cooking comes the hope of fall and new beginnings. Bon appétit!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
The ingredients:
The creation:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and cut squash in half, and place both sides face down on sheet. Once the oven is heated, place squash in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
2. While the squash is baking, spiralize the apples. Warm the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the apples, cinnamon, and cranberries. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
3. After 30 minutes, remove the squash from the oven and flip right side up. Evenly divide the apple filling between the two halves. Place the squash back in the oven face up and continue baking for 10 minutes.
4. While baking, heat salami in skillet over medium-high heat until crisp (approximately 5 minutes).
5. Remove squash from oven and garnish with salami and sunflower seeds.
Cook time: 40 minutes
The ingredients:
- Acorn squash
- 2 apples, spiralized
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1/4 cup of dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 oz of salami, sliced and cut into thin strips
- Sunflower seeds for garnish
The creation:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and cut squash in half, and place both sides face down on sheet. Once the oven is heated, place squash in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
2. While the squash is baking, spiralize the apples. Warm the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the apples, cinnamon, and cranberries. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
3. After 30 minutes, remove the squash from the oven and flip right side up. Evenly divide the apple filling between the two halves. Place the squash back in the oven face up and continue baking for 10 minutes.
4. While baking, heat salami in skillet over medium-high heat until crisp (approximately 5 minutes).
5. Remove squash from oven and garnish with salami and sunflower seeds.