This savory dinner is so good and so good FOR YOU too! What's better than that? It's full of veggies, beans, whole grains, and is oil free! We definitely don't avoid oil in our house but I do try to make recipes without oil when I can because it is not a very nutritious "food". It is essentially empty calories, not that we count those in our house. Long story short, limiting oil intake is import on a plant-based diet because oils are pure fat and do not provide any fiber or minerals.
For this recipe, I actually meant to get wild rice, but I forgot, so I used long grain brown rice. I also meant to get cannellini beans, but forgot those too, so I used butter beans. Did I mention I had a stressful week? My forgetfulness definitely comes out during busy/stressful weeks so I have learned to improvise!
Anyways, it came out just as delicious but feel free to use whatever ingredients you have on hand! The stuffing definitely makes enough to fill two whole squashes (serves 4) but I just used one squash and saved the leftover stuffing for our lunch!
Stuffed Butternut Squash Boats
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, halved and seeds removed
1 cup long grain brown rice
2 cups vegetable broth
ground black pepper and Himalayan pink salt to taste
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 14 oz can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 tightly packed cups baby spinach
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butternut squash, face down, on a rimmed baking sheet and add water until the bottom of the baking sheet is covered. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes or until you can pierce the squash with a fork. You may need to add a little water halfway through cooking if it dries up.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
3. Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and stir until soft. Add water or vegetable broth as needed if onions start to stick to the pan.
4. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
5. Add butter beans and wine. Stir and let simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated.
6. Add rice and sage. Stir to combine.
7. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat.
8. When the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, scrape out some of the insides to form space for the stuffing. Mix anything you scooped into the stuffing.
9. Fill butternut squash with stuffing mixture.
10. Place butternut squash, face up, on your baking sheet and pour a little water to cover the bottom of the sheet. Return to oven and cook for 15 additional minutes.