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Twice-Baked Mediterranean Stuffed Squash

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Acorn, Kobacha, or Buttercup Squash cut in half, seeds removed
  • 1 pound ground lamb may use ground beef or turkey

Vegetable Filling

  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 large carrot chopped
  • 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts or broccoli cut into quarters or florets
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes

Seasonings

  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 Tablespoon oregano or Italian seasonin
  • fresh rosemary chopped for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

Prepare the Squash

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  • Cut squash in half long-ways and scoop out seeds. Place cut side down in a baking pan and add a 1/2" of water to the bottom. Bake for about 1 hour or until the skin is soft and pushes-in easily. Center should scoop out easily.

While the squash is baking...

  • Chop all the vegetables according to directions.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add ground meat and cook for 2-3 minutes, breaking meat apart with spatula. Stir in minced garlic.
  • Add the chopped vegetables (carrots, peppers, Brussels sprouts/broccoli) and tomatoes; stir in herbs, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Putting it all together

  • Remove squash from oven Using a spoon, scoop out most of the cooked squash from the shell, leaving a thin lining of squash covering the inside.
  • Stir the cooked squash in the skillet with vegetables. Stir until the squash, vegetables, and meat are evenly combined.
  • Fill the empty squash shells with the meat and vegetable mixture. Return the squash to the oven and broil on center rack for 3-4 minutes to brown top (optional).

Notes

There will be extra filling left over (not all will fit back into the squashes). Fill the squashes for dinner servings and reserve leftovers for another meal.