Incredible Savory Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash!  A recipe that pretty much sums up the way I like to eat on any given day.  Savory, hearty with a little taste of creamy and salty parmesan cheese, all hit with a surprise burst of orange, combined into a pretty little acorn squash package. Top it with pomegranate seeds and I am in!  You also get a good dose of protein from the chickpeas, mushrooms and brown rice so it’s a complete meal all in one!  

How can you go wrong?  

I made these for lunch today and my husband was in love with them.  Yay!  It made me blush a little since his face lit up when he ate these.  Just like it still does when he looks at me.  I know you are thinking that is enough of that but let’s remember, food is a pretty powerful thing and the way to any man’s heart is through his stomach right?  At least it is for me since my husband requires a lot of food from all of that running he does.  I would say he married the perfect woman who LOVES to cook!

Now let’s get to this amazing recipe and how I made it.

Roasting acorn squash

Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds.

Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on the inside of each half and place it face down on a baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Until you can easily insert a knife. 

After it bakes it get’s all soft and caramelized.  Yum!

Make the amazing filling

1. Start by sautéing the mushrooms in a skillet on the stove with some vegan butter and olive oil for about 5 minutes.  
2. Then add in some diced onion, salt and pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  
3. Add in some thyme.  Mushrooms love thyme!  Let that cook for another minute
4. Then add in chickpeas, some spices and veggie stock and simmer that for 5 minutes.  
5. Finally add in the spinach and sauté for 2 more minutes.  
6. Last step is to add in the cooked brown rice, juice and zest of an orange and some parmesan cheese and pistachios for crunch.  OMG! It’s so good!

Stuff your beautiful baked acorn squash with the filling and top with tangy pomegranate seeds.  It is so A-MAZING!

Savory Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Healthy and savory vegetarian stuffed acorn squash full of protein, veggies, salty parmesan cheese, topped with tangy pomegranate seeds. Filled with brown rice, mushrooms and chickpeas for a good dose of protein. Gluten-free, low fat and oh so good!!!

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Ingredients

• 2 medium size acorn squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1 cup sliced baby Bella mushrooms
• 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• juice and zest of 1 orange
• 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup copped pistachios
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Halve the squash and remove the seeds.
3. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
4. Drizzle the inside of the squash halves with olive oil, salt and pepper and place face down on the baking sheet.
5. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes. Until a knife an easily be inserted in the center.
6. While the squash is baking you can prepare the filling.
7. Heat up a medium size skillet with olive oil and butter. Add in the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 5-7 minutes until brown.
8. Add in the onions, salt and pepper and thyme and cook for 3 more minutes.
9. Add in the garlic and cook for one more minute.
10. Add in the chickpeas, rest of the spices, vegetable stock and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Add in the spinach and cook until it's wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
12. Pour in the cooked brown rice, juice and zest of an orange, pistachios and parmesan cheese. Toss and cook for about 30 seconds.
13. Remove the acorn squash from the oven and fill each with the filling. I had just enough filling for four halves.
14. Top with pomegranate seeds and ENJOY!

Notes

To make this vegan, you can use vegan parmesan cheese. You can also sub in quinoa instead of the brown rice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320 Total Fat: 8.9g Saturated Fat: 2.7g Cholesterol: 8mg Sodium: 151mg Carbohydrates: 60g Fiber: 16.2g Sugar: 9g Protein: 16.7g