Sweet and Savory Stuffed Butternut Squash

This has been a new favorite at Desert Cliffs since I started as the new head chef back in October. I've had multiple guests ask for this recipe and we're so excited to be sharing it here with you. This is a comforting, quick, delicious and nutritious meal that can be made any day of the week or even for a special occasion when you need to impress your guests! 

This is the sort of meal you can swap out ingredients or add as you so desire. You could swap the Butternut for an Acorn squash or I even like to sub ground turkey for turkey breast leftovers, or the quinoa for wild rice (which I prefer), or even chopped pecans, walnuts, or almond instead of the pine nuts. This dish is so versatile and a cinch to make you'll be stuffing your family and/or self with a healthy meal in no time!

Enjoy.

 Ingredients:

•  1 large butternut squash
• 1 lbs ground turkey
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• bunch of thyme sprigs tied together
• 1 rosemary sprig minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 cup reduced sugar craisins
• 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley for garnish

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees place squash cut side up on baking sheet and spray with coconut oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour or until tender when poked with a fork. Squash should look like this when removed from the oven. 

• While the squash is baking, heat a large sauté pan to medium-medium high heat

• Add 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and ground turkey. Cook turkey until nearly cooked through.

• Add onions, celery, rosemary and thyme and lightly salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent.

• Add minced garlic, cook for 1 more minute.

• Add quinoa and stir for another minute.

• Add chicken stock and craisins.

• Cover pan and simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is cooked through.

• When squash is tender remove from oven, cut into 4ths and plate. Top each squash segment with stuffing and garnish with toasted pine nuts, parsley and freshly grated parmesan (optional)

Bon Appétit!

-McKenna 


 Stuffed Butternut Squash: Serves 4. With 407 Calories per serving.