SQUASH BOATS
Squash Boats!
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These may be one of the easiest and most versatile veggies I have come across! There are so many different squash you can use, and you can also fill them with about anything and it will taste amazing!
My favorite squash are yes… I seriously love all squash, but the ones I have found to be the best for stuffing are: Zucchini, Summer Squash, Spaghetti and Acorn.
A lot of other squash don’t have a large enough space to hold much filling, so you get less variety per bite, but play around with them as well!
Because spaghetti squash are so large, you can generally get 4 meals out of them. I will shred the insides with a fork and reserve about half the squash from each half for another meal, plus then you actually have room to stuff the squash!
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 and roast the squash until it is ¾ done also known as par-baking (this means that when you stick a fork into it, there is only slight resistance before it goes in). This time will vary based upon the squash you use.
Allow the squash to cool while you prepare the filling.
Once cool, scrape the seeds out, this created the space for your filling. For spaghetti squash, after you remove the seeds use a fork to shred the squash.
This is where i generally remove about half the shredded squash for another meal.
Fill your squash with desired filling and place back into the oven fo 13-15 min, just long enough to finish cooking and make sure everything is nice and hot!
If you want your cheese to be brown, broil the squash for about 3 min.
Remember! Depending on the squash you choose you CAN eat the skin!
These are just a FEW ways you can make squash!!
Cabbage, Capers, Mushroom and Turkey Stuffed Squash:
Ingredients:
2 medium yellow squash
¼ head of cabbage (chopped)
1 Tbs. Capers (brine drained)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
12 baby bella mushrooms (sliced)
1 Lb. ground Turkey
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea Salt
Pepper
1 cup Shredded cheese (optional-- feta would be really good!)
For the Filling:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and capers and saute about 7-10 min, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned.
Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the ground turkey to the skillet. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Saute 7-8 min, breaking up the pieces with a spatula, until the turkey is browned and the garlic is caramelized.
Remove from heat. Stir in half of the shredded cheese.
Spoon the filling into the squash halves, top with remaining cheese.
Bake for 10 min until the squash is cooked through and the filling is bubbly.
Burrito Stuffed Squash:
Ingredients:
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup salsa (use your preferred level of spiciness)
1 red bell pepper (cored and diced)
1/2 red onion (diced)
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 jalapeno (or poblano pepper, cored and diced)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt (to taste)
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
For the filling:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned.
Add the corn kernels, peppers, salsa, black beans and brown rice, mix well.
Add the cumin and chili powers and make sure they are also mixed in well.
Add ¾ cup cheese to this mixture and heat it long enough to get the cheese to melt.
Turn off the burner and scoop the desired portion of filling into your par-baked squash of choice.
Sprinkle with a little more cheese.
Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted, roughly 10 min.
Shiitake Swiss Beef Boats:
Ingredients:
3 large Summer squash (yellow squash and/or zucchini)
1 tsp Olive oil
1/2 large Sweet onion (chopped)
4 oz Shiitake mushrooms (chopped) other mushrooms will work as well
4 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 lb ground beef
3/4 tsp sea salt (plus additional for sprinkling the squash in step 3)
1/2 tsp Black pepper
2 tbsp Sour cream
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
For the Filling:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute about 7-10 min, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned.
Add shiitake mushrooms and garlic. Saute 5-7 min, stirring occasionally, until t he mushrooms are slightly browned and reduced in size.
Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Saute 7-8 min, breaking up the pieces with a spatula, until the beef is browned and the onions are caramelized.
Remove from heat. Stir in half of the shredded Swiss cheese.
Spoon the filling into the squash halves, top with remaining cheese.
Bake for 10 min, until the squash is cooked through and the filling is bubbly.
Ground Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash:
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
Olive oil
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
3/4 cup brussels sprouts (chopped)
1/4 cup onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons olive oil
8-10 kalamata olives (chopped)
2-3 fresh sage leaves (chopped)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 ounce feta cheese
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook about 15-20 minutes or until broth is absorbed. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned.
Add in the sage and chopped brussel sprouts. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until brussels sprouts begin to brown and onion is translucent.
Combine the quinoa, sprout mixture, olives, balsamic, and feta.
Spoon quinoa mixture into the hollowed out portion of the butternut squash.
Bake for another 10 minutes and serve.
Fall Butternut Squash Boats:
Ingredients:
2 medium butternut squashes
2 tsp. olive oil, divided
3/4 cup quinoa
1-1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bunch kale (stems removed and chopped ~about 5 cups)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook about 15-20 minutes or until broth is absorbed. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil and add garlic, cook until slightly browned.
Add kale and cook until wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Add oregano, salt and pepper, cooking just until fragrant.
Stir in chickpeas,, quinoa and cranberries.
Stuff kale-quinoa filling into squash halves, top with cheese (if using) and bake an additional 8-10 minutes.
Kale, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Boats:
Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti Squash ( about 3 pounds)
3 shallots (diced), can substitute onion
8 ounces crimini mushrooms (or other mushroom of choice, sliced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch kale (de-stemmed and chopped, about 4-6 cups)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup marinara sauce of choice
2 ounces soft goat cheese (chevre)
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and mushrooms and saute about 7-10 min, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned.
Add kale, along with a pinch of red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt and pepper and cook until wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low..
Remove half of the kale mixture and set aside. Add the spaghetti squash to the remaining mixture and combine. Add the marinara sauce and stir to coat.
Spoon the spaghetti squash/kale back into the shells. Top with the remaining kale/mushroom mixture. Break the goat cheese into pieces on top.
Bake an additional 8-10 minutes, until cheese starts to brown.