Meatless Mondays: Stuffed butternut squash

by | Feb 9, 2015 | Cafe Physique Blog, diets, eating healthy, food

Meatless Mondays: Stuffed butternut squash

Do you ever wonder what the fitness and nutrition experts at Cafe Physique actually eat? With 2 preschoolers and a toddler in tow every day, I’d be lying if I said we don’t partake in our fair share of Chick-fil-a. However, I consider those trips a part of being a good citizen because we’re simply supporting a locally-owned business <wink, wink>.

Aside from the occasional CFA treat, my family’s meals generally focus on whole foods with vegetarian dinners at least 4-5 days a week. That wasn’t always the case, but years ago, I started participating in Meatless Mondays, and my passion for drastically upping our vegetable intake took off from there. As you can imagine, this is not a unique trend among fitness instructors and nutritionists, and we’re blessed to have some very creative cooks on our team.

So, for a sneak peek at what we typically eat, check out this a-ma-zing recipe from our certified personal trainer and resident foodie, Renee Hall. This one even made my “I-can’t-believe-I-married-a-veggie-loving-dietitian” husband’s mouth water.

STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Stuffed Butternut SquashIngredients:

  • 1 butternut squash, chopped in half
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 2 Tbsp sea salt, divided
  • 1 Tbsp paprika
  • 2 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp parsley
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp organic ketchup
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 6 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 purple cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups of millet, cooked

Directions:

SFilling for butternut squashquash – Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Chop butternut squash in half, add 1T olive oil and rub oil into squash. Lightly spray baking pan with cooking oil and place the squash skin side down on pan, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on squash and bake for 90 minutes or until squash is easily pierced with fork.

Stuffing – Add 2T olive oil to pan on medium low heat. Add in sea salt, paprika, onion powder, parsley and 2 Tbsp of water to prevent spices from burning. Mix spices and add in honey, ketchup and tomato sauce while stirring. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrots, garlic, shallots, mushrooms and stir. Sauté mixture for 7 to 8 minutes at a medium-low heat. Add cabbage and millet and cook for an additional 7 to 9 minutes.

Serve squash with stuffing spooned over top, as pictured. Enjoy!