Southwestern Acorn Squash

So a few months ago, I started being a personal chef for my parents. Once a week I go to their house and I make three or four meals for them to eat throughout the next week. Sometimes, my son is still napping when I get done so I can take that time and write. Hooray for napping toddlers.

Anyway, this dish is delicious, easy, and cheap. Especially if you have a friend who couldn't keep up with/got sick of her acorn squash and gave them to you. Other than that, I really don't have much to say other than you should check my BLURRY super speed video of what it is like to do yoga with a toddler on my insta account, @ktsveggielife, it is pretty fun, and blurry. Sorry about that. #momlife and I am really not technologically savvy. My mom always jokes that I should have been her and she should have been me because I, "Garden, and compost, and coupon, and reuse stuff, and never let anything go to waste ," and she grew up doing that stuff because she had to, and I do it because I want to. Same goes with technology I guess.

But anyway, let's cut to the reason you are all here, the recipe. Enjoy my friends.

Ingredients

3 acorn squash, halved and seeded

olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 bell pepper, diced

cumin, to taste

chili powder, to taste

dash of salt

handful grape tomatoes

cilantro, to garnish

avocado, optional

salsa/hot sauce, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Halve and seed squash. Brush with olive oil and place skin down on a baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes until fork tender

2. Meanwhile, dice onion and bell pepper and saute in some oil (I just eyeball it) until soft and onions are translucent.

3. Add garlic and spices, saute 1-2 more minutes, stirring to prevent burning.

4. Remove from heat and add beans and tomatoes Stir to mix well.

5. Once squash is done, spoon bean mix into the squash halves and top with cilantro, avocado, and hot sauce/salsa if you want.

6. ENJOY