Acorn squash is just one of many amazing foods in season during the fall. Every year I get giddy with excitement to see all the lovely colors and shapes of the season’s quash harvest. Since I spend less time at the beach *tear* and more time in the kitchen, I’m a cooking machine this time of year.
I used to research recipes every week when, scouring Pinterest for hours looking for the perfect healthy yet easy recipes. I came to the realization that not only was I wasting time researching, but I would take up to an hour after I got home from work prepping, chopping, sautéing, and then the meal would last 15 minutes. It was also waste money getting ingredients that were not necessary for a delicious, healthy meal.
So I began taking a simpler approach. As a result, my dinners now mainly consist of a meat and a vegetable or two, and generally don’t take more than 15-20 minutes start to finish. I go food shopping once a week and buy staple foods and a variety of produce. However, that doesn’t mean I have to eat boring dinners every night.
This simple stuffed acorn squash recipe incorporates foods seasonal to the fall season. In addition, it also goes along with my main philosophy when it comes to cooking and that is: keep it simple, keep it healthy, keep it flexible. There is minimal measuring involved, and minimal ingredients. You get to decide (based on what you have and what you like) what goes into this recipe.
Swiss Chard-Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
- 3-4 leaves of Swiss Chard
- 1 Acorn squash
- Optional add ins: bacon, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, sautéed mushrooms, craisins, brown rice, lentils, shredded carrots, or get creative with whatever you have on hand.
Directions:
- Cut the acorn squash in half bake on 375 degrees for 1 hour. Then go to the gym, or watch Netflix or do something else for an hour. (if you don’t have the time to do this on a weeknight, like me, you can make it ahead of time and save it in the refrigerator).
- Once acorn squash is soft, scoop out the insides and set aside.
- Roughly chop and sauté swiss chard in a pan with garlic (optional) and some coconut oil for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat.
- Mix the swiss chard with the squash.
- Add in anything to the mixture that you want! This is where it gets fun. Check your cabinets and pantry. If you want some protein add in some roasted chicken, pork, or sausage. If you have a favorite spice, go for it. Some of my favorite add ins to this recipe are bacon, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, craisins, brown rice, or lentils (not all at the same time of course!).
- Place mixture back into the hollowed out acorn squash.
Enjoy the sweet flavors of fall!!
xo,
