Acorn Squash Stuffed with Vegetarian Cajun Sausage

By Megabeth

A cajun twist on acorn squash. Spicy, filling and 100% vegetarian.

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• Cajun or Creole seasoning (Emeril’s Bayou Blast)
• olive oil
• 1/2 tube vegetarian sausage or 3 vegetarian sausage patties (Lightlife Gimme Lean ground sausage)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 14.5 ounce can red beans
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• pinch of cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from megabeth.net

Preparation

Step 1

- Preheat oven to 375. Meanwhile, wash outside of acorn squash and prick several times with a fork. Microwave squash for 45 seconds on high. (This will make the squash easier to cut.)

- Cut squash in half and remove seeds and pulp.

- Lightly spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle cajun seasoning on acorn squash and place cut side down on baking sheet. Place in oven for 45 minutes or until soft on the inside.

- While acorn squash is baking, drizzle some olive oil in saute pan and place over medium heat. Crumble sausage into saute pan and add onions. Cook until onions are softened and sausage is cooked through. Add garlic and cook a little more. Add chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, paprika, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Cook a few more minutes until heated through. Finally, add brown rice.

- When acorn squash has finished cooking, scoop sausage mixture into acorn squash and sprinkle with additional cajun spice mixture, if desired. Place stuffed acorn squash back into over for an additional 10 minutes or until mixture is heated through.