Healthy recipe: Stuffed acorn squash

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cornbread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing squash
• 2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery with leaves
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 cups hot water or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 large acorn squash, halved and seeded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On baking sheet, spread cornbread cubes and toast until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

In heavy 2-quart pot, heat oil over high heat. Add onions, celery, sage and garlic and sauté 20 min. Add water/broth, apricots and pecans, if desired. Simmer until 2/3 of liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Fold vegetables, parsley and salt and pepper, to taste, into cornbread. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to one day.) When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In baking pans large enough to hold them in single layer, place squash halves cut-side down. Brush skin lightly with oil. Pour 1/2-inch boiling water into pans and bake 20 minutes, until squash are halfway cooked. (Or, in microwave-safe dish, microwave 10-15 minutes, until halfway cooked.)

Transfer squash to plate until cool enough to handle. (This can be done eight hours ahead.) Fill squash with stuffing and return, stuffing side up, to pan. (This can be done four hours ahead.) Bake about one hour, until squash pierce easily with tip of knife. Before serving, cut each squash half in half again.

Number of servings: 12

Nutritional information per serving: 212 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 312 mg sodium