The other day I was on one of those old-photo binges where I get really nostalgic about the past (I can't be the only one who does this...?). Anyways, when I was looking back at 2015 I was reminded of all of the amazing food I made and how often I cooked and how creative I was. This really got me longing to get back to that creativity and get back in the kitchen.
So today, I present you with Thai Stuffed Butternut Squash with Pork Chops. I'm a sucker for anything Thai, and anything with almond butter for that matter. My brain was churning with different ideas and ingredients that I could combine to create the perfect Thai-inspired dish, and this is what resulted! This meal was truly a treat, one that led to second servings, which is always a success in my book! I hope you enjoy!
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 3
The Ingredients:
For the Pork Chops:
- 3 boneless center cut pork chops (15oz)
- 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon basil flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- sprinkle of salt and pepper
For the Squash & Stuffing:
- 1 mini/small butternut squash
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups of carrots, riced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1.5 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon basil flakes
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
For the Almond Sauce:
- 1.5 tablespoons creamy/runny almond butter (I use trader joe's brand)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
The Creation:
1. Begin by marinating the pork chops with the olive oil, sesame oil, smoked paprika, basil flakes, salt, and pepper at least 2 hours before hand.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and cover the flesh with a little bit of olive oil. Place the squash flesh face down on a cookie sheet and put in the oven when it is heated. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the squash is soft.
3. While the squash is in the oven, you can begin to work on the stuffing. Begin by heating the olive oil and sesame oil in a wok pan over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Then add the red onion and garlic and let simmer a few minutes until they soften.
4. Next, add the riced carrots (which can be made by spiralizing carrots and then pulsing them in a food processor once or twice), bell pepper, mushrooms, and ginger. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring the vegetables around.
5. After 5 minutes, add the coconut aminos, salt, and basil flakes. Now let the vegetables cook for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring them. At the end of the 10 minutes, you can remove them from the heat, mix in the cilantro and momentarily set them aside.
6. While the vegetables are cooking, you can also begin to grill the pork chops. Grill the pork chops for 5-6 minutes on each side so there is no-pink but so that they are still tender when you cut into them.
7. To create the almond dressing, combine the almond butter, coconut oil, coconut aminos, lime juice, salt, and cilantro in a small bowl.
8. Remove the squash from the oven, and place on a plate and stuff with the vegetable mix. Drizzle with the almond dressing and serve with the pork chop. Bon appétit!