Articles,  Nutrition and Food,  Recipes

Fall Is Here! Time For A Hearty Veggie Recipe…Lentil And Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Getting tired of the whole spaghetti squash craze and having had my share of butternut squash, I was at the grocery store this past week and came across an acorn squash. At $1.79 a squash, I thought I would take my chances and bring one home and figure out what to do with it later. Image 3

Acorn squash is a winter squash, which means it is best eaten when the skin has hardened into a tough rind. It is also best to eat it cooked ( I can’t imagine eating it NOT cooked!) This squash is low calorie, only 56 calories for one cup! It is high in complex carbohydrates, potassium vitamin C and dietary fiber. Acorn squash is also high in beta-carotene, and the darker the skin, the higher the beta carotene content.

This recipe I came up with was based off of another recipe, but I made it my own. It is probably best for a chilly winter night, but can be eaten at any time, packed in a to-go tupperware and paired with your favorite lean protein if you feel like you need it.

 

Lentil And Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash, chopped in half

1 cup quinoa

1/2 cup lentils, red or green

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

1/4 tablespoon cumin

1/4 tablespoon tumeric

sea salt and pepper to taste

Set oven to 350F. Cut squash in half and place in a baking dish filled with 1/2 an inch of water. Place flesh down and bake for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, cook 1 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup lentils together in a pot of water (about 2 cups of water) for 10-12 minutes or until fully cooked. In another pan, sauté the garlic and red pepper in the coconut oil. When the red pepper and garlic are soft, combine them with the lentils and quinoa. Then add the turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. Drizzle a little  more coconut oil if necessary.

When the squash is done, take it out and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Drain the water from the pan and place a baking sheet in the pan. Put the squash back in the pan and pour the quinoa and lentil mix into each squash half. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes. Take them out and enjoy!!

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram