Brown Rice and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is a sweet winter squash that’s low in calories yet packed with nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. It’s an excellent carb option that’s full of beneficial plant compounds including carotenoids and antioxidants. Today, we’ll sharing with you a tasty and healthy stuffed acorn squash recipe. Let’s get started!

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
  
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  
• 1/2 lb. sweet or hot Italian turkey or chicken sausage
  
• 1 small onion
  
• 1 medium red pepper
  
• Salt and ground black pepper
  
• 1 package precooked whole-grain brown rice (scant 2 cups)
  
• 2 tbsp. 
  
• chopped fresh parsley leaves
  

Directions

1. Lightly grease microwave-safe large plate; place squash halves, cut sides down, on plate (it's OK if halves overlap slightly). Cook squash in microwave oven on High 8 to 9 minutes or until fork-tender; set aside until cool enough to handle.
   
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan with foil. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up sausage with side of spoon. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl.
   
3. To same skillet, add onion, red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally; add to sausage in bowl.
   
4. With spoon, scoop out squash, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell. Add scooped-out squash to bowl with sausage; stir in rice (it is not necessary to heat rice as label directs) and parsley until combined.
   
5. Spoon sausage mixture into squash shells; place in prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.