Paleo, Whole30, and low carb this dish is a delicious! It combines sausage, fresh herbs, and cauliflower inside of roasted acorn squash bowls.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium acorn squash
- Avocado or olive oil + sea salt for roasting
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil or ghee divided
- 1 lb Italian sausage bulk, homemade or store bought
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 cup white mushrooms chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary minced
- 2 tsp fresh sage minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley minced
- 2 cups riced cauliflower I buy this pre-riced
- 2 Tbsp almond milk or coconut milk
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast optional
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper optional
DIRECTIONS
– Preheat your oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut both acorn squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
– Drizzle the insides with oil and brush to coat, then sprinkle with sea salt. Place squash face down on the prepared baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 22-30 minutes, or until it feels tender when the top is pressed on. You might need more or less time depending on the size of your squash.
– Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 1 Tbsp of avocado oil or ghee. Once hot, crumble in the sausage and use a spoon or spatula to break up lumps. Cook until browned, stirring as needed, about 5-7 minutes, then remove to a plate.
– Lower the heat to medium and add another Tbsp of oil or ghee. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
– Add the mushrooms and garlic, then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes, then stir in the rosemary, sage, thyme, and parley. Continue to cook another 2-4 minutes or until soft and fragrant.
– Stir in the cauliflower rice, milk, and nutritional yeast. Cook, stirring occasionally, a few minutes to soften the rice, then season with sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper if desired. Add the cooked sausage back to the skillet and cook the mixture together for another two minutes to blend flavors.
– Preheat your broiler. Keep the squash on the baking sheet, face up, and fill with the stuffing mixture, piling it up to use all the stuffing. Your squash might be more or less full depending on size. Place under the broiler for 2-4 minutes or until the tops are nicely browned and sizzling.
– Remove from the oven and serve right away, garnished with more fresh herbs if desired. Enjoy!
Calories: 290kcal
Carbohydrates: 15g
Protein: 10g
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 43mg
Sodium: 434mg
Potassium: 666mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 1g
Vitamin A: 487IU
Vitamin C: 28mg
Calcium: 62mg
Iron: 2mg
This recipe makes 8 side dish servings. Both recipe and image are credited to Michele Rosen of www.paleorunningmomma.com