Ahhhh fall is finally here! Today is the autumnal equinox and I could not be more excited. I love everything there is to love about fall. I adore the cute decorative squash that people put on their outdoor steps, the trips to the orchards to pick fresh crisp apples, the site of the gorgeous reds and oranges of the Maple tree leaves, and of course, the food. Yes, call me basic, but I love me some pumpkin-spiced just about anything. Stay tuned for some pumpkin recipes coming up soon because I just got a cute little sugar pumpkin from my CSA. But today is not about pumpkins. Today is all about another squash, which is the delicata squash!
Delicata squash is shaped like a cylinder and is yellow with dark green vertical stripes. This squash is relatively small making it super easy to prepare. All i did was cut it in half and easily scoop out the seeds. It is hassle-free! Also I am obsessed with the taste. I’m perhaps even more obsessed with delicata squash than butternut squash…dare I say it?? The easy preparation plus the decadent creamy texture makes me the delicata squash’s number one fan.
I received these tasty babies from my CSA recently. I asked them what people usually do with them (even though I could probably google it in this day and age, but I wanted to know a farmer’s opinion-someone who is close with their food) and they said they usually stuff them! Perfect, I thought, because I love stuffed anything! Except for peppers, no peppers because it is probably the only food I dislike. But anyways, I decided to stuff the squash with farro, kale, cranberries, and chopped pecans and drizzle it in some maple syrup melted ghee. Heavenly!
I cut the squash in half and scooped out the seeds. I read online that the seeds could be roasted and eaten. I decided not to do that and just tossed them, but if anyone does try it, please let me know how it tastes! I then doused the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasted it in the oven. Then I cooked the farro and sauteed the kale. I tossed those two together and added in the cranberries and pecans. And voila, there you have some fall-loving deliciousness!
The whole thing took about 30 minutes and didn’t make me want to take a nap directly afterwards, so it’s not hard or time consuming! Plus, when I ate them fresh from the oven, I think my tastebuds were doing flips. I love fall. Why is squash so unbelievably good?
However the whole dish is more flavorful with a sauce on it but can really work with whatever sauce you choose! I decided to melt some ghee and add in a drip of maple syrup to sweeten it. But, if you are vegan you could use coconut oil instead of ghee. Or this dish could be good with a balsamic vinaigrette or a mustard dressing or literally whatever you’re feeling. The kale can also be substituted for another leafy vegetable, the farro can be substituted for quinoa or rice, and the pecans can be substituted for another nut. You can play around with the recipe and make it yours!
Stuffed Delicata Squash
Ingredients
- 2 Delicata Squash
- 1-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Farro
- 1/2 cup Kale chopped
- 1/2 cup dried Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Pecans chopped
- 1 tablespoon melted ghee or coconut oil if vegan
- 1 teaspoon Maple syrup
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
- Slice the delicata squash in half lengthwise
- Scoop out the seeds and hollow out the center
- Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
- Place squash halves on a greased baking sheet with the cut side facing up
- Roast for about 30-35 minutes
- Meanwhile, cook your 1/2 cup of farro as directed by the package
- While the farro and the squash are cooking, wash and chop up some kale to equal about a 1/2 cup
- Place in a frying pan and saute the kale with olive oil
- Once kale is done cooking put in a mixing bowl and add the cranberries and chopped pecans
- Once the farro is done cooking, drain and add it to the mixing bowl as well
- Mix together the melted ghee or coconut oil and the maple syrup or any other sauce/dressing of your choice
- Pour the sauce over the farro mixture and mix until everything is evenly coated
- Take out the squash when done cooking and let it cool
- Add and evenly distribute the farro mixture into the center hollowed out part of each squash (there may be leftovers of the farro mixture depending on the size of the delicata squash)
- Season with salt and pepper
- Serve and enjoy!
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