Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash: Sweet & Savory
For those following a vegan lifestyle, vegetables are more than just a side dish–they are the foundation of a nutritious and flavorful way of eating. Our Sweet and Savory Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is one that not only tastes like this time of year, but looks like a beautiful fall meal when your body needs a healthy and hearty dinner. Filled with seasonal veggies and whole grain sorghum, this dish is deliciously comforting and splendidly colorful with earthy and sweet flavors. Loaded with nutrient boosters, such as prunes and sorghum, this stuffed acorn squash is gluten-free and contains and abundance of fiber, calcium and protein. With new research showing that vitamin C in acorn squash may help boost your mood, this is the perfect meal you can feel good about serving to your family.
Nutrient Booster: Prunes
It’s time to rethink the dried plum, or the prune! This unassuming fruit is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals and is packed with fiber which promotes satiety. While eating fruits and vegetables have a positive effect on health and nutrition, studies show that in terms of bone health, this particular fruit is exceptional. A single serving of prunes fulfills the daily recommended dose of boron and the potassium present in prunes helps support bone health. Prunes can greatly reduce the probability of osteoporosis, a condition where bones weaken with age, break down and cause more fractures. In fact, studies show that prunes may even be able to reverse osteoporosis in postmenopausal women due to its high calcium and potassium content. Eat them alone as a snack, blend them in smoothies, or add them to baked goods, cooking with prunes comes with tasty and healthy results.
Meal Prep
We love recipes that we can be prepare in advance. This Sweet and Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash is the perfect grab-and-bake dinner! Simply follow the assembly instructions when time permits and then store the squash in the fridge in an airtight container. All you have left to do is bake your way to a delicious and nutritious meal.
Sweet and Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 4 acorn squash
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or cooking spray separated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 1 cup parsnips, diced
- 1 cup whole grain sorghum, cooked
- 1/2 cup apple cider, or apple juice
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sorghum syrup, or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 dried prunes, diced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350⁰ F. Grease sheet pan with a 1/2 teaspoon olive oil or cooking spray.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the acorn squash in half to create 2 squash bowls. To allow each squash bowl to stand up straight, carefully slice 1/4 inch off the rounded end of the squash. Scoop out the seeds and fiber from the squash and discard. Rub the outside of each hollowed squash half with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and place on prepared sheet pan with open end up, set aside.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and onion to pan, sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic to pan, saute for 30 seconds. Add carrots, parsnips, and cooked sorghum to pan, sauté for 10 minutes. Add apple cider, balsamic vinegar, sorghum syrup, water, dried prunes, dried cranberries, and walnuts to pan – mix together, cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Ladle 1 1/2 cups of mixture into each hollowed squash. Sprinkle evenly, each stuffed acorn squash, with chopped walnuts. Bake for 60 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a fork in the side of squash. Once fork can easily pierce through the squash, remove from oven. If squash is still hard, cook an additional 30 minutes until soft, checking periodically. Serve warm.
Notes
[1] Arjmandi BH, Khalil DA, Lucas EA, et al. (2002) Dried plums improve indices of bone formation in postmenopausal women. J Womens Health Gend Based Med 11, 61–68. [2] Farajian P, Katsagani M, Zampelas A. (2010) Short-term effects of a snack including dried prunes on energy intake and satiety in normal-weight individuals. Eating Behaviors 11(3), 201-203.
Disclosure: We were not compensated for creating this post, however, Sunsweet provided us with samples. Triad to Wellness has provided nutrition communication services to The Sorghum Checkoff. However, we were not compensated for this post. All opinions are our own.