Hazelnut Stuffed Butternut Squash

The hazelnut stuffing adds a savory crunch to this dish. Pair it with a lovely Kale salad, for a complete meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 small/medium squash, cut lengthwise (in half)

1 tsp. sea salt

olive oil, for roasting

Hazelnut Stuffing

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1/4 cup pepita seeds

2 tbsp. Ghee, melted or olive oil

1 tsp. ginger, minced or grated

sea salt, to taste

1 tbsp. maple syrup, or rice syrup

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh

Preheat oven to 375

Scoop out all the seeds from the squash. Place squash on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, then season with salt. Roast for 45 minutes, or until tender.

For the stuffing: place the nuts and seeds in a processor and pulse several times. In a bowl pour out the nuts. Then add ginger, maple syrup, salt to taste, cinnamon, melted ghee or olive oil, and lemon juice. Hand mix. You want a combined consistency.

Assembly

When squash is just about finished, take it out of the oven. Fill each one with the stuffing. Drizzle with a bit more maple syrup for a golden crunch. Set the oven on a low broil. Place squash back in the oven for about 5 minutes. Keep an eye as to not overcook.

Garnish with chopped parsley. Keeps well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Laurie Richardone

is a seasonal gluten free chef

and certified health coach.

To work with Laurie, visit LaurieRichardone.com