As a weight management doctor, my goal is to educate, empower and inspire my patients to achieve optimal health through integrating evidence based medicine with emotional and lifestyle support.
This is an easy, lower carb recipe that is full of flavor and sure to be satisfying!
I adapted it from the original recipe to use lower saturated fat proteins and increased the fiber by replacing the rice with beans. If you can’t find the turkey sausage you can you a lean pork sausage. Use any extra for breakfast the next day with eggs!
INGREDIENTS
2 medium acorn squash (about 2 pounds each)
Olive oil, as needed
Kosher salt and black pepper
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds, for serving (optional)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 4 shallots)
¼ packed cup chopped fresh sage leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 cups lightly packed chopped lacinato kale leaves
1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
1/2 pound lean turkey sausage
Generous pinch of ground nutmeg
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup cannellini beans
⅓ cup grated Parmesan
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
PREPARATION
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully halve cut each squash in half through the stem, removing the stem if still attached. Scoop out and discard the seeds, and place the squash halves on a sheet pan, cut-side up. (You may want to trim the bottom of the squash halves slightly so they don’t wobble on the pan.) Brush each squash generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a knife, 35 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, if using pumpkin seeds, heat a large skillet slicked with olive oil over medium. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, tossing often, until the skins begin to split and the nuts are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a cutting board to cool.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-low. Add the shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the sage and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the kale and cook, tossing, just until it begins to wilt.
Raise the heat to medium-high and add the turkey and sausage, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, crumbling the sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cook, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until about half the liquid has evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Using a small spoon, gently scrape about 3 heaping tablespoons of flesh from the cavity of each squash (you should have about 1 cup altogether) and add it to the turkey and sausage, along with the beans and Parmesan. Mix thoroughly until combined, breaking up any chunks of squash.
Divide the sausage mixture among the squash halves, filling each one to the top. (Depending on the size of the squash cavities, you may need to slightly heap the filling.) Return the sheet pan to the oven to roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and starting to brown on top.
Sprinkle with chopped pumpkin seeds and parsley, if using, and serve hot.
"As always...you are my weight loss angel - I did what you suggested and have lost two pounds since making the diet changes you suggested. I am down 20.5 lbs in 5.5 weeks! I am so grateful for you. You really are changing lives (including mine!)"
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