Paleo Thanksgiving

I have had many requests for recipes that can be used for Thanksgiving. The next few posts will be recipes that can be helpful during Thanksgiving meal planning. I have been impressed with the number of people that are eager to continue eating paleo (or just plain eating WELL) during the holiday season. Enjoy!

Stuffed Butternut Squash

1 squash per two people, multiply recipe as needed

1 butternut squash, medium

1 large onion, chopped

1 bag frozen leaf spinach

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

pinch nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

Cut squash in half vertically and remove seeds and strings. Place squash, cut-side down in a pan with an inch of water in it.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until tender, about 45-60 min. depending on size of squash.

You want it firm enough to hold it's shape for stuffing, but soft enough to remove the flesh.

When done, remove from oven, and when cool enough to handle, carefully take out some squash flesh but leave the shells intact. Put the removed squash flesh in a bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet or heavy bottomed pot. Saute onions in oil over medium low heat until very golden, about 10-15 minutes. Add salt and pepper and frozen leaf spinach and turn up heat to medium/med.high, stirring frequently to break up spinach as it thaws. Add nutmeg and cinnamon.

When tender, add to the squash flesh in the bowl and mix well. Put a scoop of the mixture into each squash shell and return to the oven and heat through, about 10-15 min.

Serve hot.

Variations: add raisins and/or pine nuts to the spinach mixture. If you do dairy, grate some smoked gouda into the spinach mixture, and top the stuffed squash a little more cheese. It's really good melted on top.