Fall is officially here!

If you haven’t noticed yet, the grocery stores are stocked with those oddly shaped squash, which happen to be members of the winter squash family.

Just like summer squash, there are many varieties of winter squash. The most popular winter squash are butternut squash, acorn squash, and spaghetti squash. Winter squash is eaten cooked (steamed, baked, or roasted), not raw, and can be prepared as either a sweet or savory dish.

Include these super nutritious vegetables in your meals over the fall and winter months to not only warm your belly, but decrease inflammation as well. Brimming with a nice amount of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A, and dietary fiber, this is one food that deserves a place on your fall/winter plate.

Check out this low fat, low cholesterol recipe of Baked Acorn Squash Broccoli Quiche.

Baked Acorn Squash Broccoli Quiche

Acorn squash creates the perfect size bowl for a cup of soup, chili, oatmeal, and quiche!

Ingredients:

Yield:  2

• 1 Acorn squash
• Broccoli Quiche:
• 1 cup of broccoli, chopped
• 1/3 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• 1/4 tsp of oregano
• 1 Tablespoon of asiago/parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Bake Acorn Squash:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds, but save the seeds to make toasted seeds. In a baking pan, place the acorn squash halves with the flesh facing down and add 1/4 inch of water the pan. Bake for 40 minutes.

Prep the Broccoli Quiche:

While the acorn squash is baking, mix all the broccoli quiche ingredients in a medium bowl. After the acorn squash is done baking, keep the oven on 350 degrees, but remove the pan from the oven, drain the pan’s excess water, and flip over the acorn squash halves. Scoop out just enough flesh to fit half of the quiche mixture prepared (about 1 cup) in both of the acorn squash bowls.

Bake Broccoli Quiche in Acorn Squash:

Place the quiches in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until there is no more liquid in the quiches. During the last 15 minutes of baking, rinse the seeds, dry in a kitchen towel or paper towel, mix the seeds with ½ tsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of a salt free seasonings (herbs/spices), spread the seeds out onto a baking sheet or sheet of aluminum foil, and toast the seeds until the acorn squash quiches are done.

Take out the quiches from the oven and sprinkle them with few toasted seeds! Serve immediately. Grab a spoon and scoop into your acorn squash broccoli quiche!

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Calories: 180 kcal, Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Carbohydrates: 33g, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Protein: 14g, Sodium: 196 mg