Stuffed Acorn Squash

I hate winter. I don't participate in winter activities, I slip on the ice, I'm constantly late for things and I just don't like the cold. Well, today I am getting ready because we are starting to see snow... ugh. I doubt anything will stick, but the fact that it can snow at all right now makes me sad.

I think the only saving grace of the long Alberta winter is the fact that I haven't roasted vegetables, used a slow cooker or made soup in a long, long time. I am pretty excited to switch off of the summer dishes and start finding new things to make that will make me forget that it is getting colder. If winter was only 4 months long I maybe wouldn't mind, but I am going to try and not think about that right now. Right now, I am ready to make fall and winter foods.

Tonight, I am attempting to join a competitive swim team. I have worked out consistently in years and haven't swam competitively or even regularly in over 4 years now. I know this first practice and probably the next few weeks are not going to be fun, but I think it is way overdue that I get involved in something other than couch surfing.

I figured if I am going to brave the cold and the sleet to jump into a pool at 8:30 at night, I better make something heartwarming.

I was looking through my Candle 79 cookbook and found an amazing recipe for stuffed squash. It sounded fairly easy to make and wouldn't take a lot of work. On top of that, roasted squash is a perfect way to get into fall foods. I decided to adapt the recipe a bit so I could share it with everyone, so here is my version.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
* Serves 1-2 about 30-40 min to make
* Adapted from Candle 79 Cafe Cookbook

• 1 cup cooked brown rice (cook in broth)
• 1 Acorn Squash halved lengthwise and seeds scooped out
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1/2 - 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 5-6 mushrooms sliced 
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/2 - 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Siracha sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground sage
• 1/2 tsp dry time
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper

First have cooked rice ready or make your rice. I used broth in the water to give it some extra flavour. If you don't do this, maybe increase the soy sauce.

Now, pre-heat oven to 350 F. brush the squash with oil, maple syrup and cinnamon and place in oven to bake for 20-30 min or until tender. To know if it is ready, you should be able to pierce it with a fork, but not so soft that you go right through the skin.

Took a lot of work to get this thing chopped in half. Sharpen your knife!

Ready to roast

While the squash is cooking, add a little oil to a skillet. Once hot, add the celery, carrot and shallot and cook until tender and golden. Add in the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Now add int he mushrooms and stir. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and release juices. Once this happens add in the soy sauce  Siracha and seasoning and stir to combine. Add in the rice and heat through. 

Make the stuffing in steps - First the base vegetables

Then the mushrooms and spices

then the rice

By now the squash should be ready. Take it out of the oven and scoop in the stuffing. Return to the oven for 15 minutes or so. let cool a little and add some parsley and serve!

Looks pretty good! Would be nice for a small dinner party

I posted this was a recipe for 1-2 people. I ate the whole thing and it was slightly more than I needed to eat. This would be great with some baked tofu or tempeh with it. The only thing I didn't like about this recipe was that it was hard to get all the squash out. In the future, I would plate it outside of the squash. The original recipe called for a gravy to top it, but I didn't think I needed it. If you want, add a mushroom gravy when serving.

I think sometime soon, I need to break out the slow cooker. Looking outside right now and all I want is a bowl of soup... definitely a sign that winter is around the corner.

Cuban Stir-fry

I have decided to take a short break from all the non-dairy milks I have been blogging about. Especially now that I have an abundance of flax, rice and sunflower seed milk. I don't want to waste them!

I was looking for something really flavourful for dinner last night. I didn't want to grocery shop or get take out, so I had to make do with what I have. This combined with a serious craving for lime got me thinking... Need something complex with sweet, sour, and spicy.

This is the result.

Cuban Stir-Fry

• 1 squash, roasted and cubed
• 1 Tbsp oil (i used grape seed)
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 clover of garlic, minced
• 1-2 hot peppers (jalapeno, red, whatever you have)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili pepper
• 1-2 Tbsp of coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup of greens (Optional, I added spinach. Collards would be good too)
• 1 can of beans, drained and rinsed (Any kind will do. I used Kidney)
• 2 Tbsp of cilantro
• 1 Lime (zest and juice)
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

First thing you want to do is roast the squash. I used a Kobacha squash and I think that was a mistake. It was all I had in my place, so I worked with it, but I think that you would be better to use acorn or butternut. Heat your oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. I sliced mine into 1" slices, but you can also just roast the halves. Brush a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, but keep an eye on it.

After the squash is done, put the rice on if you don't have left overs so it'll be ready with the stir-fry. Prep all the vegetables and have them ready to go. Heat a large pan or wok to medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent. Next add in the hot pepper, lime zest and the spices and cook another couple of minutes. Add in the squash and greens if you are using. Toss it well so it is all combined. Cook another 5-7 minutes.

Next, add the beans and stir again. Cook 5 more minutes. When everything is well combined and heated through, add the cilantro, maple syrup and the lime juice.

Serve on top of rice. Serves four.

Now, I am not sure if this is all that Cuban, but it reminded me of Cuban flavours, so that's why I have names it the Cuban stir-fry. I just love the combination of lime and maple with beans and rice. I don't know why, but it is fabulous.

If you really like spices, add more. I found it to be pretty mild.

I am going to finish off this Sunday by reading my new cook books: Colour Me Vegan and Vegan with A Vengeance. I am already diving into a few of the recipes and will have a full report soon.