This is one of my favorite dishes no matter what the season! It has only a few simple ingredients and is very easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
(serves 2)
1 acorn squash
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
Salt and pepper to taste
Small bunch of fresh Basil and/or Oregano
Red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Organic non-stick olive oil spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut your acorn squash into 2 pieces. Spoon out the seeds and discard.
Lightly spray parchment paper with non-stick olive oil spray. Place the squash fleshy side down on the parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes.
About 10 minutes before your squash is done, brown your ground chicken sausage in a pan. (I might typically have this already prepared and ready to go in the refrigerator. I like to cook 2-3 lbs in bulk and then refrigerate half and freeze the other for another day. If you go this route, simply reheat your sausage in the microwave right before serving).
Once your squash is done, place each half in it's own bowl. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Divide your chicken sausage (drained of fat) equally among the 2 halves of squash. Top with some fresh basil, oregano and some freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!!
**You can also GRILL your squash if you don't want to fire up the oven! Brush the fleshy side of the squash with some EVOO. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill fleshy side down for about 30 minutes on medium to high heat.
Macros per serving:
Carbs: 23g
Fat: 21g
Protein: 28g
** Based on 4 ounces of cooked sausage, 4 grams EVOO, 1 tbsp Parm cheese, 1/2 Acorn squash**