Acorn Squash, with Vegan Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing
If you love a good squash and are crazy about stuffing, this combo cannot be beat! Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, I came up with this great version of my other stuffed squash. I served as a main dish for my husband and myself, but they could be cut in quarters and served as a side dish with the Thanksgiving meal.
INGREDIENTS:
2 Acorn Squash cut in half and seeds removed
1/2 bag of Cornbread Stuffing Mix, or your own cornbread recipe cubed up
1/2 large white onion diced
1 cup shredded carrots
2 stalks of celery diced
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 to 1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
2 T of fresh herbs (I chopped some up from my garden, rosemary, thyme, and parsley)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, (Optional, but I thought they added a lot to the dish.)
1 pkg Gimme Lean Vegan Sausage (it's fat free and delicious!)
S&P to taste
1-1.5 cups veg broth as needed
Cut squashes in half. (I cut lengthwise but you can cut width wise) Put these cut side down on parchment paper on pan and bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes or so... (they will not be done, we are just giving them a head start)
While these are roasting, in large saucepan, simmer onions, mushrooms, spices, carrots, and celery in some veg broth until tender, remove from pan, then put your sausage in the pan and use a fork to smash it up into fine pieces while it is cooking, make it into real small pieces and crumbly, if needed let it cool and crumble the sausage with your hands. Once it is done, mix all ingredients into a large bowl with the breadcrumbs and walnuts. Pour veg broth over until it gets to the right consistency...about 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Remove Acorn Squash from oven, it should have started to turn tender, turn right side up and and put in baking pan with parchment paper or lightly spray. Sprinkle inside each with a little salt and pepper or other seasonings of your choosing, then fill with your stuffing mixture, fill them up, arrange with fork, and drizzle a bit more veg broth over the top. Bake for 20-30 min at 375 degrees until stuffing is good and crunchy on top. If the stuffing starts getting crunchy, but the squash is not yet super tender, cover with foil and continue baking until squash is fork tender. Sprinkle the top with some nutrional yeast or vegan parmesan if you like.
This is a great holiday side dish, or an everyday main vegan dish that is sure to impress your guests. This makes 4 servings, approx 450 calories ea.
If you love a good squash and are crazy about stuffing, this combo cannot be beat! Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, I came up with this great version of my other stuffed squash. I served as a main dish for my husband and myself, but they could be cut in quarters and served as a side dish with the Thanksgiving meal.
INGREDIENTS:
2 Acorn Squash cut in half and seeds removed
1/2 bag of Cornbread Stuffing Mix, or your own cornbread recipe cubed up
1/2 large white onion diced
1 cup shredded carrots
2 stalks of celery diced
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 to 1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
2 T of fresh herbs (I chopped some up from my garden, rosemary, thyme, and parsley)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, (Optional, but I thought they added a lot to the dish.)
1 pkg Gimme Lean Vegan Sausage (it's fat free and delicious!)
S&P to taste
1-1.5 cups veg broth as needed
Cut squashes in half. (I cut lengthwise but you can cut width wise) Put these cut side down on parchment paper on pan and bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes or so... (they will not be done, we are just giving them a head start)
While these are roasting, in large saucepan, simmer onions, mushrooms, spices, carrots, and celery in some veg broth until tender, remove from pan, then put your sausage in the pan and use a fork to smash it up into fine pieces while it is cooking, make it into real small pieces and crumbly, if needed let it cool and crumble the sausage with your hands. Once it is done, mix all ingredients into a large bowl with the breadcrumbs and walnuts. Pour veg broth over until it gets to the right consistency...about 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Remove Acorn Squash from oven, it should have started to turn tender, turn right side up and and put in baking pan with parchment paper or lightly spray. Sprinkle inside each with a little salt and pepper or other seasonings of your choosing, then fill with your stuffing mixture, fill them up, arrange with fork, and drizzle a bit more veg broth over the top. Bake for 20-30 min at 375 degrees until stuffing is good and crunchy on top. If the stuffing starts getting crunchy, but the squash is not yet super tender, cover with foil and continue baking until squash is fork tender. Sprinkle the top with some nutrional yeast or vegan parmesan if you like.
This is a great holiday side dish, or an everyday main vegan dish that is sure to impress your guests. This makes 4 servings, approx 450 calories ea.
