Acorn squash stuffed with vegetarian sausage and apples

By blum099

Ingredients

• 1 package vegetarian sausage (use Gimme Lean brand)
• 2 cups water
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 6 stalks celery, chopped fine
• 1 Tbsp fresh sage OR 1 tsp dried
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme OR 1 tsp dried
• 6 oz plain stuffing cubes, OR 8 cups toasted bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 medium apple, any kind, diced
• 1/3 cup apple cider
• 2 large acorn squash, cut in half, with seeds removed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°.
Lightly brown the vegetarian sausage in a non-stick skillet sprayed with a little olive oil, breaking it up and crumbling it with a spatula as it browns, just as you would with a meat sausage. Set aside.

Bring water and olive oil to a boil in a covered pot over high heat. Stir in onion, celery, sage, and thyme. Cook, covered, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in stuffing cubes, salt and pepper, applesauce, apple cider, and the browned sausage, mixing to combine. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.

Divide the stuffing evenly among the acorn squash halves. Arrange the halves in a roasting pan and pour water around (not on) the squash to 1 inch.

Lightly spray a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan with olive oil spray. This will prevent it from sticking to the stuffing. Cover the pan tightly, tending slightly with the sprayed side down.

Bake for about 1 1/4 hours, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.