2 T. olive oil
One small head red cabbage, shredded. Easy to do in the food processor.
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or no-sugar added apple juice plus more to add as it cooks.
1/4 tsp. dried dill weed
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 T. red wine vinegar or 1 T. balsamic and 1 T. red wine vinegar for a more mellow flavor.
1 T. brown sugar
Heat olive oil in large pot and add onion and cabbage. Cook for a few minutes to soften vegetables and add rest of ingredients. Cover and turn heat to medium-low. Braise for about 40 minutes until cabbage is soft. Check pan about every 10 minutes and add 1/4 cup broth or apple juice if it gets too dry, don't let it burn.
Stuffed Zucchini Squash
4 zucchini squash (or peppers if you don't like squash) about 6 inches in length
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chopped white mushrooms
1/2 - 3/4 cup coarsely chopped grape tomatoes
1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice (could use combination of brown and wild rice or white rice)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated provolone or Swiss cheese
1/2 grated white or yellow cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried basil
2 tsp. olive oil
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 beaten egg
salt and pepper to taste
Par-boil the squash and/or peppers by covering whole veggies in a pot of water, bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain, let cool and cut lengthwise. Scoop out seed area of squash with a melon baller or a spoon. Place cut squash on baking sheet or in casserole dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In saute pan over medium heat, cook garlic in olive oil, less than a minute. Add mushrooms and cook for another minute or two until softened. Remove from heat and add the rest of the stuffing ingredients. Don't forget the fresh ground pepper. Stuff the squash and bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees until heated through.
Apple and Barley Stuffed Delicata Squash
First step: The barley will need to be cooked before mixing with other ingredients. Prepare either regular or quick-cooking barley according to package directions. You will need 2 cups of cooked barley. Cooking regular barley can take an hour so allow for this time in your preparation.
Second step: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the squash by cutting in half and scooping out the seeds and stringy insides. Brush the cut side with just a bit of vegetable or olive oil and place on baking sheet with cut side down. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes until almost tender. This will vary by the density of the squash and your oven, so keep an eye on it.
Third step: While squash is pre-cooking, mix the following ingredients in 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat.
2 cups rough chopped, cored apple - leave skin on for color and fiber
1 tsp. canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup water or chicken stock
Cover and simmer above ingredients for about 10 minutes until apples are soft but not mushy. Remove from heat and add the following ingredients to apple mixture.
dash of salt and ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
1/3 to 1/2 cup grated mozzarella or other mild, grated soft cheese
2 cups cooked barley
Stuff the squash halves and return to baking sheet. Bake another 8 to 10 minutes until filling is heated through. Serve as a veggie meal or cut in half and serve as a side dish.
Curried Beef and Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
I don't use red meat in very many of my recipes for a lot of reasons, but this recipe uses lean, grass fed, ground beef that goes well stuffed in this Acorn squash. Have fun and adjust the flavor of the stuffing to your taste. These ingredients are a guideline of flavors, but make it yours with your own creativity. Serves 4.
2 medium to large Acorn Squash
1 lb. lean ground beef
1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
1 tsp. dried Italian herbs
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1 cube beef bouillon, dissolved in 1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, not the oil-packed kind.
1/3 cup dried currants or raisins
1-1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 to 2 T. tomato paste. Start with one and add more if filling is too crumbly.
Salt and pepper to taste(shouldn't need more salt with the bouillon cube)
Prepare brown and wild rices according to package directions. They can be cooked together to save time. You will need two cups total of cooked brown and wild rice. I cooked one cup brown rice with 1/4 cup wild rice and had some left over for another day.
Prepare squash by cutting in half lengthwise and scraping out seeds and strings. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil the cut side of the squash with olive oil and bake cut side down on baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes until tender but not completely done.
Brown ground beef with chopped onion in skillet and season with salt and lemon pepper to taste. When cooked through, turn heat to low and add the cooked rices and rest of the ingredients, combining all. Taste the filling and adjust flavors by adding more curry if you want, since curries vary a lot. If the filling is too dry, add a bit more beef broth.
Stuff partially baked squash with filling and return to oven to heat through and brown a bit on top, about 10-15 minutes.
