Roasted Acorn Squash

As fall approaches, acorn squash (along with its cousins butternut and delicata) arrives in the produce department of your local grocery store. 

Baked acorn squash with its golden interior and bright green skin is a delicious fall treat, warming, grounding and comforting for a chilly day.  This easy to digest squash is loaded with fiber, and is a generous source of Vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.

Feta cheese, walnuts, maple syrup, and herbs add a variety of flavors that make this a recipe everyone can enjoy.

RECIPE: Roasted Acorn Squash

Serves 4–6.

Ingredients
1 acorn squash
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 C feta cheese, for garnish
1/3 C walnuts, for garnish
Few chopped basil leaves,  for garnish

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dry roast the walnuts in a cast iron pan on low heat until light brown. Set aside to cool. 

In a bowl, blend maple syrup, lemon juice, and olive oil with a fork. 

Wash the squash, cut off ends and scoop out inner seeds and strings. Cut the squash (including skin) into one inch thick slices and place in a single layer onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. 

Add the blended ingredients from the bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence and mix well to coat both sides of the squash.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on one side (approx. 25 minutes). Flip slices over and roast until the other side is caramelized and golden brown in color (approx. 15 minutes). 

Place on a serving dish and garnish with feta cheese, walnuts, and chopped fresh basil.