Stuffed Acorn Squash with Barley, Apples and Walnuts

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High Cotton Food Styling and Photography
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  • Yield: 4 servings

Crushing dried herbs between your fingers helps release their flavors. In the case of sage, it also helps break up any stem pieces.

Ingredients

2-- acorn squash, about 1 pound each
1/2cup quick-cooking barley
1tablespoon canola oil
1/4cup finely diced onion
1/4cup finely diced celery
1cup diced peeled apple
2tablespoons chopped walnuts
3/4teaspoon dried sage, crushed between fingers
1/2teaspoon kosher salt
1/8teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
4tablespoons apple juice or cider

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Cut each squash vertically in half; scoop out seeds and fibrous pulp.  If needed, cut a thin slice off bottoms so squash sits evenly.  Place squash, cut sides down in a greased shallow baking dish. 
  3. While squash bakes, cook barley according to package directions.
  4. Bake squash 30 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from oven and, using tongs, turn squash cut sides up. Lower oven temperature to 375F.
  5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, celery and apple; cook, mixing occasionally, 6 minutes or until apples are lightly browned in spots and tender.  Remove pan from heat; add barley, walnuts, sage, salt and pepper and mix with large spoon to combine.  
  6. Spoon barley mixture (about 1/2 cup) into each squash half and spoon 1 tablespoon apple juice over each. Bake 20 minutes or until tops are lightly toasted. 

Recipe by Jean Kressy.

 

Nutritional Info *per serving

  • Calories 252
  • Fat 6g
  • Saturated Fat 1g
  • Cholesterol 0mg
  • Sodium 260mg
  • Carbohydrate 49g
  • Fiber 7g
  • Sugars 5g
  • Protein 5g