Acorn Squash Stuffed Two Ways

If rich, exotic, and bright is what you’re after, go for the Chai clementine. Try the apple-maple-sage if you’re looking for a slightly more traditional savory-sweet dish. Either way, you can’t lose. And, of course, you can make both and let guests (or yourself) choose.

In the recipe below, each flavor is written to fill one acorn squash and is easily multiplied for more squashes.

Ingredients

1 acorn squash ½ teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil ½ teaspoon maple syrup

One acorn squash for the Chai-clementine stuffing and one for the apple-maple-sage.

For the Chai clementine (enough to stuff one acorn squash): ¼ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup finely chopped Medjool dates ¼ teaspoon each: black pepper, ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, ground nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon each: ground cloves, sea salt 3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed clementine or orange juice 2 tablespoons maple syrup (my favorite) Zest of clementine (or orange) 1 cup LAFF protein crumbles

For the apple-maple-sage (enough to stuff one acorn squash): 1 Granny Smith apple 1 tablespoon dried sage ½ teaspoon garlic powder ⅛ teaspoon apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons maple syrup (my favorite)

Method

Preheat the oven to 400. (Will also work at 375 and 415—just have to adjust the cooking time.)

Apple-maple-sage on the left. Chai-clementine (and dates and pecans!) on the right.

Whack off the stem of the acorn squash. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds (save them in the fridge for a future use). Place the acorn squash cut-side up (cavity up) in a dish. In a small bowl or juice glass, whisk ½ teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil and ½ teaspoon maple syrup. Use your clean fingers—or a pastry brush—to rub ½ of the oil-syrup mixture into each half of the squash. Sprinkle each half with sea salt. Roast for 35-50 minutes depending on the size of the squash. Test the squash by poking it with a fork. The squash is ready when it’s very tender to the poke of a fork and there’s a small puddle of syrupy goodness in the cavity.

For the Chai clementine (enough to stuff one acorn squash): In a small sauce pan, toast ¼ cup chopped pecans along with ¼ teaspoon each of black pepper, ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, plus ⅛ teaspoon each of ground cloves and sea salt. Toasting takes only about five minutes—watch and smell carefully to avoid burning. Keep the heat on low and add ¼ cup chopped Medjool dates plus the zest from 1-2 clementines (or an orange). Quarter the clementines and squeeze the juice into the saucepan over the Chai pecan-date mixture. You should have 3-4 tablespoons of juice. Add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and stir. Keep the heat on low and continue stirring for about 2-3 minutes. The mixture will become progressively sticky. Burn risk! Keep stirring. Add 1 cup of LAFF protein crumbles, thoroughly mix, and continue to heat another 2-3 minutes. When the acorn squash is finished baking, spoon half of the Chai-LAFF mixture into each side of the acorn squash. Sprinkle each side with sea salt and serve.

Rose has a nose for squash.

For the apple sage (enough to stuff one acorn squash): Wash the Granny Smith apple. Cut the apple in quarters and remove the seeds. Shred the apple in a food processor. In a saucepan, mix the shredded apple with 1 tablespoon dried sage ½ teaspoon garlic powder ⅛ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Cook the mixture over low heat until the apples are soft and very fragrant. For me, that’s 11-15 minutes. If your apples aren’t releasing much juice, drizzle in more maple syrup (or even a tiny bit of water). When the apples are cooked, stir in 1 cup of LAFF protein crumbles and heat for just 2-3 minutes. When the acorn squash is finished baking, spoon half of the apple-LAFF mixture into each side of the acorn squash. Sprinkle each side with sea salt and serve.

Notes & Tips

The joy of leftovers!

This recipe is very forgiving! No need to strictly measure. But you do need to stir the stuffings as they cook.

If your stuffings seem dry when you’re heating them, add a drizzle of maple syrup.

As always, high quality produce—squash, apples, clementines—takes this dish to the stratosphere of yum, as does high quality maple syrup.

Both flavors are delicious as leftovers (if you have any leftovers.) Simply store the stuffed squashes in the fridge in an airtight container (or wrap the tops in Beeswax).

How much is a serving? Well, if you eat a half of the stuffed squash, you’ll get 22 grams of protein. But I always end up eating an entire squash. If Steve and I are having this for dinner, I make two squashes—one for Chai clementine and one for apple-sage. Then Steve and I each eat an entire squash…half of each flavor.

The links provided above are intended as resources, not advertisements. I’m linking to products that I used but am not sponsored by other companies. I’m trying to sell LAFFkitchen protein crumbles, of course, but do not make money or receive discounts/products from other food businesses.