What Do I Do with An Acorn Squash?

Sunday September 7^th is National Acorn Squash Day! Learning about and enjoying all the possibilities this unique type of squash has to offer is the perfect way to kick off the fall season.

As summer ends and fall quickly approaches, one of the things I automatically notice before the leaves start changing is the selection of produce at the grocery store. One of the biggest changes in the produce section is the wide variety of squash that fill the shelves.

The selection may seem overwhelming as there seems to be millions of odd shaped weird looking vegetables that seem impossible to do anything with in the kitchen.  Typically my clients seem to be most familiar with butternut squash and zucchini.  Spaghetti squash also seems to be a growing trend in the world of nutrition.  Let’s use today to take a closer look at a squash that you may be less familiar with – the acorn squash.

Acorn squash was classic staple among Native Americans, who named the unique vegetable due to its shape being similar to an acorn.  Most commonly, this squash is dark green in color and has an orange splotch at the top.  The health benefits of acorn squash make it the ideal candidate to enjoy as your perfect dinner option for ringing in the fall season! Acorn squash is not only a good source of dietary fiber and potassium, but it is also high in vitamins C & B, magnesium and manganese.

I know the next thought probably running through your head is “that all sounds great, but how in the world do you cook an acorn squash?”  This was one of my first reactions when I first learned about this distinctive squash. The good news is it’s not as hard as it seems! Even better, there are numerous ways to prepare and experiment.

The acorn squash can be baked, microwaved, sautéed or even steamed.  My personal favorite way to consume it is to stuff it. When baking and stuffing, cut the squash horizontally and scrape away the seeds (this is the same process as cleaning a spaghetti squash if this helps).  Place the squash face down on a baking sheet in a little bit of water and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees.

While the squash is cooking, brown ground turkey and cook quinoa with green peas. Combine the turkey with the quinoa pea mixture and season with thyme, garlic or cumin (or herbs and spices of your choice). When squash is done cooking, fill it with the turkey quinoa mixture. Return to the oven to heat through, approximately 10-15 minutes. Cut into halves or quarters and serve.

If you are not into stuffing your acorn squash, you can simply just add spices or a sprinkling of brown sugar before baking.  You can also use acorn squash in soups, raviolis, and even breads if you feel like getting really creative!

So try something new and add acorn squash to your fall menus!

Your turn to take action: What’s your favorite way to cook and eat acorn squash?

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