Acorn Squash “Boats”

By Gina, The Candid RD2 Min Read
Updated:
Acorn Squash

Several weeks ago Katie posted these beautiful zucchini boats, which inspired me to do some “boating” of my own, but instead with the acorn squash from our garden.

I popped them in the oven (whole, not cut in half yet) for 30 minutes at about 350 degrees. Next I cut them in half, laid them seed side facing down, and then placed them back in the oven for about 15 minutes.Squash

Next I flipped them over, scrapped out all of the seeds, and placed about 2 tsp of Smart Balance margarine and ~1 tsp Splenda brown sugar in the boats.Squash 1Next I added ~1/4 cup brown rice (brown rice is a whole grain, wahoo!).Squash 2Then I added ~1/4 cup black beans (beans are packed with soluble fiber, which is a great way to lower cholesterol, and they also have many disease-fighting plant nutrients).Squash 3Next I added ~1/4 cup lean ground beef, which had been seasoned with cumin and cinnamon. By the way, I bought grass-fed beef today at the store. I can’t wait to use it. I’ve never tried it before! It’s supposed to have a higher content of omega-3 fats.Squash 4Next I added ~2 T of FULL FAT shredded cheese and some spinach, then placed them under the broiler for about 2 minutes.Squash 5Ok, so I need some photography lessons. This picture doesn’t make my mouth water, but these acorn boats were fabulous. Please, do yourself a favor, and make some today (large acorn squash work best)!Squash 6Question: Have you ever gone “boating” in your kitchen? What did you use as your boat?

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Gina is a registered dietitian who started The Candid RD in 2009 to share simple, honest nutrition without deprivation. Posts show their first publish date; see our Editorial policy for how articles are prepared and reviewed.

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