Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash

1 pound ground beef, pork, turkey, bison or chicken*

1 cup chopped onion, celery & bell pepper **

½ cup chopped spinach or kale**

1 tablespoon grass fed butter

⅓ cup pine nuts

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried orange rind (spice aisle)***

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons, organic BBQ sauce

Sea salt and pepper to taste

*choose antibiotic free, grass fed or pasture raised

**organic would be ideal and frozen works very well

***McCormick makes a Valencia Orange Rind available in most grocers, or the pictured one is organic and can be found on line.

Instructions:

1. Wash the acorn squash and cut it in half.  Using a spoon, hollow out the center by removing the seeds and scrape clean.
2. Put a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 350°.  Rub the flat surface of the acorn squash with a little melted or soft butter and place face down on the parchment paper.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes until tender. Test by piercing with a fork. The fork should go in easily.
4. While the acorn squash is baking, get out a large skillet for the stove top.  On medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan.
5. Place the frozen onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic powder in the pan and sauté, until soft and tender.
6. Add the meat, orange rind and pine nuts, turning and stirring until meat is done.
7. Add the BBQ sauce, sea salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat.
8. Remove the squash from the oven, turn them over with the cavity of the squash facing up.  Place 1 Tablespoon of BBQ Sauce in each cavity and fill the cavity with the meat mixture. Divide meat evenly into each of the four squash.  Return to the oven for about 10-15 minutes, then serve.