Stuffed & Baked Acorn Squash

I tried this recipe sometime ago, after a friend told me that she did it at Thanksgiving. She is Vegan and does not do turkey, but she really wanted to stuff and bake something for the occassion. So she tried a baked squash. The idea appealed to me. I usually make squash the Indian way (and that is delicious!), but I was looking to try something else to make this vegetable more appealing to the family... (read my husband).


I chose acorn squash because of its size (it is small, so it cooks faster, and I just needed it to serve 3). Added to that I had recently read that acorn squash is a great source of fibre, Vitamin A, C, E and B6, and potassium and magnesium. (For additional information : http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-acorn-squash.html).


So here is what I did.


Ingredients:
1 medium Acorn Squash
1/2 cup long grain basmati rice
1/2 cup sliced green bellpeppers
1/2 cup sliced red bellpeppers
1/2 cup sliced red onions
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 grated carrot
2 tablespoons oilve oil
Salt, pepper, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg


1. Cook the long grain basmati rice and set aside.
2. Heat a pan, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add red onions, green bellpeppers, red bellpeppers and carrots. Cover the pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and cinnamon and nutmeg, and cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Mix the rice and set aside.
5. Cut open the acorn squash at one end, and scoop out the pulp and seeds (just like a pumpkin).
6. Fill it up with the rice and vegetables, and replace the cut portion.

7. Pre-heat over to 450 F.

8. Bake the stuffed squash for 45-50 minutes, till the vegetable is tender.
9. Let it cool for a bit, then slice and serve with rice or as is.