Autumnal Stuffed Acorn Squash

Autumn is my favourite time of year- the crunch of leaves underfoot, the crisp air, the wafts of cinnamon and apples never fail to bring a smile to my face. This dish is the perfect Fall treat- warming spices, earthy flavours, and a burst of autumnal colours.

Ingredients (for 4 people)

2  acorn squash (1/2 per person)
1 cup lentils or vegan grounds
1/3 cup vegetable broth (for grounds, 1 cup if using lentils)
1/2 zucchini/ courgette finely chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
5 cherry tomatoes quartered
3oz/ 85g roasted peeled chestnuts  chopped
1tbsp EVOO
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Method

First, halve your squash widthways and scoop out the seeds, remove the stalk and spray with oil, bake at 380F/ 190C for an hour (longer for larger squash) until tender.

Add the onion and garlic to a high sided frying pan with a little oil, cook at medium heat until the onion softens and becomes transulcent. Add the cumin seeds, add the lentils or grounds and the broth. Cover and allow to simmer. Once the liquid has been almost completely absorbed, add the zucchini, the chestnuts, and the tomatoes along with the salt, and nutmeg. Cook undovered, stirring to ensure the ingredients are cooked through. Place in the hollows of the squash and cook for 5 minutes, adding grated cheese if desired.
Enjoy with Buttery Sauteéd Cabbage with Apple   (recipe at https://snugglegrub.com/sauteedcabbage/)  and a glass of apple cider.