Stuffed Acorn Squash
4 small acorn squashes (no more than 1 pound each)
2 tablespoons sesame or olive oil, plus more for using on squash (divided use)
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
3 cups whole-wheat bread, cubed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut the squashes in half across the width of the squash. Scoop the seeds out. Lightly coat the edges of the squash with oil, place on a baking sheet cut side down, and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms, celery, and garlic. Stir. Sprinkle poultry seasoning over vegetables. Dissolve the salt in the tamari soy sauce and add to the pan. Stir, then cover and continue to cook until the vegetables are done, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the cubed bread, parsley, and apricots. Mix well. Then cover and set aside for several minutes. The bread should absorb the moisture from the vegetables. The stuffing should be well-seasoned and moist but not wet.
The recipe can be prepared to this point ahead of time.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Just before serving, stuff each squash with about 1/2 cup of stuffing. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Makes 16 side-dish servings.
Note: Tamari soy sauce is a fermented soy sauce made from soybeans, salt, water, and a starter called koji. It is nothing like commercial soy sauce indebted to caramel for its dark brown color and corn syrup for its sweetness.
PER SERVING: Cal 112 (17% fat) Fat 2 g (trace sat) Fiber 4 g
Sodium 392 mg Carb 22 g Calcium 59 mg