Save a Bowl, Eat a Squash

5 delicious seasonal squash recipes

Happy Sunday & Happy November friends.

New month = new seasonal produce, and some of my favorite seasonal items on the menu are winter squash. Spaghetti, acorn, kabocha, honeynut, butternut, delicata, pumpkin, kuri…..the options are endless and the farmers markets are abundant with all varieties.

I didn’t grow an appreciation for squash until early adulthood. My frontal lobe developed and so did my love for squash. Not only are they absolutely delicious: creamy, nutty, caramelly, silky and subtly sweet — but they pair so well with both sweet and savory dishes, elevating any meal. And when mother nature provides you with squash….aka nature’s edible dish ware….you ditch the bowl and use a squash.

These have been my absolute favorite meals this past month, I look forward to it every time. It is so fun to eat, and you get a bite of squash within every bite.

On the Menu:

• Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

• Stuffed Acorn Squash

• Kabocha Squash Chili

• Honeynut Squash Brekky Bowl

• Butternut Squash Stuffed with Gluten Free Mac n’ Cheese

Disclaimer: SIZE MATTERS. Every squash ranges so much in size. I have had a quarter pound honeynut squash and I have also had a three pound honeynut squash. It just depends — so when it comes to cooking, times range. The smaller the squash, the shorter the cooking time. Make sure to check on your squash and pull it out when it’s tender enough to easily poke a fork through.

NOW LET’S GET INTO THE GOOD STUFF…..

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Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 small onion (I use cippolini)

• 1 small carrot 

• 1/4 fennel bulb or 1 small celery stalk

• 3 garlic cloves 

• 1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce

• 2 tbsp tomato paste 

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

• 1/4 cup milk (optional for creaminess - I used A2 half n half)

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 medium spaghetti squash

• Olive oil

• Salt 

• Toppings: Parm, Basil, Parsley 

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400°F

2. While oven is preheating, prep veggies: chop up onion, carrot and fennel, mince garlic, set aside

3. Cut spaghettini squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds

4. Drizzle the inside with olive oil and salt 

5. Place the squash on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until it’s soft and you can easily poke a hole with a fork

6. While squash is baking, start on Bolognese sauce 

7. Heat olive oil in a large pot, then add the chopped onion, carrot, fennel, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until soft and fragrant (about 6 mins)

8. Add the ground beef, breaking it up, add salt n pepper

9. Cook until browned 

10. Pour in the white wine, deglaze as necessary. Cook until the wine reduces by half 

11. Stir in the milk and let it simmer until it's mostly absorbed

12. Add in tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, immerse 

13. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes (the longer it simmers the better the flavor but this is a shortened version of an authentic recipe to make it easier)

14. Prep the toppings, grate parmesan and finely chop basil and parsley 

15. Once spaghetti squash is done, let it cool for 10 minutes before spaghetting the squash 

16. Taste sauce and add seasonings as needed, then top onto squash 

17. Add parm, basil and parsley and ENJOY!!!!

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn Squash

• 1 tbsp EVOO

• Salt 

• 1 lb ground turkey sausage

• 1/2 yellow onion 

• 2 carrots

• 1 celery stalk

• 3 cloves garlic 

• 1 tbsp EVOO

• Parsley

• Parmesan 

• Salt and pepper 

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Cut acorn squash in half & scoop out seeds

3. Drizzle with evoo and salt and place face down on baking sheet with parchment paper 

4. Bake for about 40 minutes( +-5 depending on size) 

5. While that is cooking, chop up onions, carrot and celery 

6. Finely mince garlic 

7. Heat up olive oil on a pan over medium heat 

8. Add in veggies and garlic, and mix

9. Continuously stir until softened and fragrant 

10. While cooking, prep parsley and parmesan: finely chop parsley and grate parmesan (measure with heart)

11. Once veggies are softened, add in turkey sausage 

12. Mash down and allow to cook and brown

13. Add salt and pepper (option to add other spices if your turkey isn’t already seasoned) 

14. Once turkey is 90% cooked, mix in with veggies 

15. Allow to finish cooking and remove from heat

16. Remove squash out of oven and let cool for 10 minutes 

17. Fill squash with turkey veggie mixture and top with parsley and parm 

18. ENJOY!!!!

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Kabocha Squash Chili

Ingredients

• 1 kabocha squash

• Olive oil

• Salt n pepper 

• For Beanless Chili:

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • 1 sweet potato

  • 4 carrots

  • 1 yellow onion

  • 2 celery stalks 

  • 5 cloves garlic

  • 1 tsp coconut sugar

  • 1 tbsp chili powder

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • Salt + pepper

  • Dash of cayenne

  • 14 oz fire roasted tomatoes

  • 1/4 cup tomato paste

  • 1 1/4 cup bone broth

  • 2 tbsp butter

• Toppings: greek yogurt, cheddar cheese

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Cut kabocha squash in half and scoop out seeds

3. Add olive oil, salt and pepper 

4. Flip squash upside down on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft 

5. For chili, chop up sweet potato, carrots, onion, celery and mince garlic 

6. Melt butter in a large pot and add in garlic and onion, sauté for a minute until fragrant

7. Add in the rest of the veggies and mix, sauté for about 5 minutes continuously mixing

8. Add in ground beef, breaking it up as it slowly browns

9. Once meat is halfway cooked, add in salt, pepper, coconut sugar and spices and stir

10. Add in bone broth, tomatoes and tomato paste and stir

11. Bring this to a boil and stir frequently for a minute and then reduce to a simmer

12. Cover and stir occasionally, simmer for about 30 minutes

13. Once squash is done, set aside to let cool slightly

14. Once chili is done, serve in half of squash and top with cheese and greek yogurt 

15. ENJOY!

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Honeynut Squash Breakfast Boat

Ingredients

• 1 Honeynut Squash

• 1 Tbsp EVOO 

• Salt 

• Greek Yogurt 

• Raw Honey

• Bee Pollen

• Pomegranate Seeds

• Granola:

  • 1/2 cup oats

  • 1/4 cup walnuts

  • 1/3 cup pecans 

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 2 tbsp evoo 

  • 2 tbsp almond butter

  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 

  • Ceylon cinnamon

  • Salt 

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds

3. Drizzle olive oil and salt and place face down on a baking sheet with parchment paper

4. Bake for ~30 minutes or until cooked through and softened 

5. While baking, start on granola

6. Add walnuts and pecans to food processor and pulse until in smaller pieces

7. Add nuts to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, and mix until fully combined

8. Place on a baking sheet spread out and into the oven, bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown (flip halfway)

9. Once granola is done let fully cool on baking sheet 

10. Once squash is done remove form oven and add butter on top, allow to slightly cool

11. Stuff squash with greek yogurt, add chunky granola, pomegranate seeds, raw honey and bee pollen & enjoy!!

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Butternut Squash w/ Gluten Free Mac n Cheese

Ingredients