Sausage and Apple stuffed Acorn Squash

Find the original recipe at geniuskitchen.com

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ¹?₄ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¹?₄ teaspoon ground sage
• 1 lb pork sausage (regular seasoning)
• ** (Also works well with Veggie sausage such as Field Roast or Tofurkey Italian sausage)
• ¹?₂ cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 2 apples, cored and chopped (macintosh)
• 1 cup fine breadcrumbs (I omitted this and added 1/3 cup almond meal for gluten free and lower carb option)
• ¹?₂ teaspoon sage
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions: 

1. Combine the melted butter, garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoons sage; brush over cut sides and cavity of squash. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Bake in a large roasting pan, cut side up, at 400 degrees F for 1 hour, until squash is tender yet still holds its shape. (OR, for less time, prepare squash without the butter/sage added. Place in a microwave safe dish with 1/3 cup water in the bottom. Place Squash cut side down in the dish and microwave for 15-20 min until just tender, but holding shape in the shell. Then proceed with the rest of the directions as noted)
3. Meanwhile make stuffing: Fry pork sausage until light brown. Remove pork to a colander to drain. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from frypan. Add onion, celery and mushroom; saute 4 minutes. Stir in apple and saute 2 more minutes.
4. Combine the pork, vegetables, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl.
5. Taste and season with sage, salt or pepper if needed (depending on your sausage you may not want to add more seasoning).
6. Stir in the egg and parsley.
7. Fill the squash halves with stuffing-they should be slightly mounded.
8. Return to oven and bake, covered, for 20 more minutes, until the egg is set.
9. Garnish as desired with parsley and shredded romano cheese.

Nutritional Info:

• Carbs = 51g

• Protein = 29g

• Fat = 30g

  ** Carbs will be lower with substitution of almond meal for the bread crumbs and the fat content will be less without the cheese or the pork sausage.