Week 2 - Definitely Do a Dollop

Here's a tip about healthy recipes: they always taste better when served with melted cheese, sour cream and avocado. Mmmm... sour cream.

So this week was Southwestern Stuffed Squash. It was easy but not particularly memorable and I would be hard-pressed to find a reason to make it again. The hardest part is actually preparing the squash which [SPOILER ALERT: If you don't like to know secrets, stop reading now] is just for decoration! You scoop the thing out Halloween pumpkin style and bake it for 40 minutes just to use it as a non-edible bowl. Hmm. I think that's why God invented ceramic bowls. 

I almost think the filling would actually be really good as filling for a taco or in some sort of corn bread casserole concoction. It's good, but it was definitely better with some badly needed fat delivered via good old-fashioned dairy products.

SOUTHWESTERN STUFFED SQUASH

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of Healthy Family Dinners

3 x 1.5-2 lb butternut squash - 8 oz. ground turkey or chicken - 2 green onions, sliced - 1-2 tsp chili powder - 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed - 1 can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed - 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce - 1/4 cup sliced olives - 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1. Cut off the blossom end of each squash and cut off a shallow lengthwise slice from each. Finely chop enough of the slices to equal 1/2 cup; set aside. Hollow cavities of squash, leaving 1/2-inch shells. Invert squash in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

2. While that's cooking, cook meat and chopped squash until meat is brown. Stir in the green onions, chili powder and oregano. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, olives and jalapeno. Bring to boiling. Spoon bean mixture into hollows of baked squash.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

(They say it makes 6 servings but I think they say that so they can say a serving is only 156 calories - but really it makes 3 or 4, at most.)

What Brian says:

  It has a kick.  With one whole jalapeno it should.  The flavor is still there but the lips tingle a bit after taking a bite.  Considering the main ingredient is squash, it's sometimes hard to pick out.  Dominating flavors are black beans and meat.  

  Using out the hollowed out squash as a bowl is a great way to present it but having only been partially cooked, per the recipe, it leaves you wanting to throw it back in the oven to make it edible, which is what we did.  I recommend cooking it through the first time to enjoy it all at once.  Tasty though.

  Brian's Rating: ***