I have always loved delicata squash because preparing it is so much easier than other winter squashes. The skin is totally edible, so you don’t have to deal with peeling any tough rind and there is, of course, also the amazing flavor to mention, which is like a cross between sweet potato and butternut. You can go as simple as just slicing and roasting it, but one of my favorite ways to prepare it is to stuff it with all sorts of goodies like ground turkey, apples, spinach, fresh herbs, pecans and dried cranberries for a nutritious meal with a delicious sweet and savory balance.

As far as hard squashes go, delicata is pretty quick to cook through but you’ll still want to give this a little head start in the oven while you work on the filling. Just halve the squash and scoop out the seeds, and then coat it with olive oil, salt, and pepper and stick it in a hot oven until the flesh is approaching fork tender. (That should take about twenty minutes.)

While the squash bakes, you brown ground turkey and onion, and then stir in fresh spinach, chopped apples, rosemary, thyme, and sage. You only need to cook it long enough for the spinach to wilt, the apples will soften further in the oven.

You’ll want to let the filling cool a bit, and then mix in a beaten egg (just to help it all hold together) and a handful of dried cranberries. The filling goes into the squash and gets topped with some chopped pecans before heading back into the oven where the filling sets up a bit and the pecans get nice and toasty.

It’s a dish that has it all – lean protein, plenty of nutritious veggies, an ideal sweet and savory balance, and a nutty crunch. It’s a great fall dinner, but it’s one you’ll want to make for as many months as you can find Delicata squash in your grocery store!