Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash

This Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash is a nutritious and delicious side dish for holiday gatherings or even as a main dish for any day of the week!

It’s that time of year where I get into baking vegetables and experimenting with various veggie side dishes for the holidays.

You probably have already noticed that I love to cook vegetable side dishes, especially those that include cheese like my Cheesy Vegetable Casserole and Cheesy Turkey Bacon Stuffing.

Well, this recipe is no different. It’s nutritious, holiday-focused, and an excellent way to fill up on the good stuff!

Holidays do not have to equal gaining 5 to 10 pounds just because you want to enjoy eating delicious foods.

With that said, I love to bake and obviously eat holiday cookies.

But I also do so in moderation, most of the time (along with exercise). Including holiday side dishes like this vegetable side dish is just one of the ways to enjoy food but not overindulge too much.

Dietitian’s Dish

An entire acorn squash only has about 200 calories. But in just 1/2 cup of the squash you’ll get 5 grams of fiber.

Acorn squash, a type of winter squash, is one of the best sources of the antioxidant, beta carotene. Antioxidants are known to prevent DNA damage and can lower the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

When cooking squash, make sure to steam or bake it instead of boiling it. This keeps the vitamins from being lost in the water.

Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash

A colorful delicious vegetable side dish for any occasion!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 2 acorn squash
• 1 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 red pepper finely chopped
• 2 cups kale chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese divided

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cut each acorn squash in half, along with each outer side of the squash to allow them to lay flat.
• Place each half on the baking pan open side facing up.
• Lightly coat insides of squash with about 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the rubbed sage, salt and pepper over squash.
• Roast squash for 50-60 minutes or until squash is cooked thoroughly.
• Cook quinoa according to directions.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet.
• Add minced garlic, onions and red pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes).
• Add kale and sauté until tender.
• Stir in cooked quinoa, Mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese to skillet.
• Fill each squash half with quinoa vegetable mix.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Want to learn more about the dairy industry in addition to more delicious recipes and nutrition tidbits? Check out the Milk Means More website or follow them on Twitter,  Facebook,  Pinterest  and YouTube.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Milk Means More. I was compensated for my time. But my views and opinion on this post are and will always be my own.  I will only partner with brands that I believe promote or provide products that fit into a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

This Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash post first appeared on Chocolate Slopes.

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