Name: Cranberry Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 4 acorn squash (halved and seeded); 2-3 apples (chopped); 1 cup cranberries (fresh); zest of 1 orange; 2 oranges (juiced); 4 tablespoons maole syrup or honey ((optional)); 2 teaspoons cinnamon; *optional-1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup raisins, 4 T butter

This cranberry apple stuffed acorn squash recipe (no sugar!) is the perfect side dish for your next holiday meal or potluck. Festive, colorful and packed full of nutrition, it’s sure to please even the most health conscious guest. Paleo, Whole30, and Vegan.

The last time I was in Aldi’s, they had acorn squash on sale for $0.47 a pound. And bags of cranberries for…well, I don’t actually remember how much. But they were cheap. Needless to say, I stocked up on both.

After I got home and unloaded all of the groceries onto the kitchen counter, I stood there and looked at my stock pile of squash and cranberries. “Well holy guacamole, what the blazes am I going to do with all of THAT?” I asked myself.

PIN CRANBERRY APPLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH RECIPE FOR LATER

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Then suddenly, memories of my mom baking halved acorns stuffed full of cranberry-apple-gooey-goodness flooded my brain, and I knew what to do!

WATCH CRANBERRY APPLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH RECIPE NO SUGAR VIDEO

I actually used to make this all of the time, but like what to seems to happen with many of my recipes, I had temporarily forgotten about it.

Honestly, I hardly think of this as a recipe. It’s just squash. With yummy stuff stuffed into it.

I’ve made different variations of this dish over the years. Such as:

Walnut-Raisin-Apple

Cranberry-Pear-Nutmeg

Cranberry-Raisin-Apple

Pear-Pecan-Nutmeg

Orange-Cranberry-Apple

They were all delicious.This is my slightly more standard, fall back recipe. But feel free to tweak and experiment. It’s pretty hard to go wrong with it! Oh, and did I mention acorn squash is great if you are following a paleo or Whole30 diet?!

cranberry apple stuffed acorn squash recipe

I’m always a little surprised by how many people have never had acorn squash. Here are some questions I get asked about it:

IS ACORN SQUASH HEALTHY?

Acorn squash is a serious power house of nutrition. It is high in vitamins A, B6, and C, folate, magnesium, fiber, riboflavin, phosphorus, and potassium.

CAN YOU EAT THE SKIN OF ACORN SQUASH?

Yup! Once cooked, the skin becomes soft and thin. You can choose to either scoop it out from the skin, or eat the skin right along with it. It’s up to you!

HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN A WHOLE ACORN SQUASH?

An ENTIRE acorn squash has around 172 calories. That’s not very many for how much squash you’re getting! It also provides you with around 32% of your daily recommended Vitamin A, 17% of your daily Iron and 79% of your daily Vitamin C!

HEALTHY CRANBERRY AND APPLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH RECIPE-no sugar

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 min
Bake Time: 60 min

DESCRIPTION

This cranberry apple acorn squash is the perfect side dish for your next holiday meal or potluck. Festive, colorful and packed full of nutrition, it’s sure to please even the most health conscious guest.

VEGAN STUFFED SQUASH INGREDIENTS

2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
2-3 apples, chopped
1 cup fresh cranberries
Zest of 1 orange
2 oranges, juiced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2-4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional)
Optional ingredients: 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup raisins, butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds.
In a medium sized bowl, toss the chipped apples, cranberries, orange zest and orange juice. (You may also add the raisins and/or walnuts if desired).
Place the 4 squash halves face up in the pan. (If needed, trim the bottoms so they lay flat).
Divide the apple/cranberry mixture evenly, filling the squash halves. Sprinkle cinnamon over top.
Drizzle maple syrup or honey over each half, to taste (optional).
If desired, add a pat of butter to each half (optional).
Fill bottom of pan with water until just covered. Cover the pan lightly with tin foil.
Bake at 375 for approximately 60 minutes, until squash is tender.
Allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!

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