By Casey Colodny (The Mindful Hapa)
Ingredients
Roast Squash:
- 3 whole acorn squash
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
Savory Oats:
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1¼ cup water
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
Stuffing:
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (~1 cup)
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ tsp. dried thyme
- Pinch dried rosemary
- 3 cups fresh spinach, rough chopped
Preparation
Roast Squash:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Carefully cut each squash in half from stem to point and remove innards.
- Sprinkle each cut side with salt and pepper, and brush with maple syrup and olive oil.
- Bake, cut side up, on a baking sheet until a knife can be easily inserted into the squash (~35 min.)
- Keep warm in oven until assembly.
Savory Oats:
- Bring all ingredients to boil in a non-stick 2 qt. lidded pot (~5–7 min.).
- Turn heat to low and continue cooking undisturbed.
- After 15 min., turn heat off and allow oats to rest for another 10 min.
- After resting, fluff oats with a fork.
Stuffing:
- Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, thyme and rosemary.
- Cook on medium high heat until onions are translucent (~4–5 min.)
- Stir in cooked savory oats and spinach. Continue to cook until spinach is wilted.
Assembly:
- Fill each cooked squash half with stuffing and serve.
