There are very few things I love more than Fall. The crisp air, apple cider doughnuts, soups and stews, and casseroles make it hard to beat. Call me crazy but I am not a fan of the sweltering heat. 

I wanted to get into the Fall mood and cook using squash! I used a delicata squash but you can use any one you find at your local farmers’ market. This dish feels like a stuffed pepper and will come together quickly. The serving size is for 2, so just double it for a family of 4!

You will need:

10 oz sage sausage or hot sausage out of its casing

½ cup long grain white rice 

1 delicata squash

1 Poblano pepper 

2 scallions

1 lime

2 oz shedded cheddar cheese

½ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt

2 tbsps tomato paste

Begin by placing an oven rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 450 degrees. 

Cut off and discard the ends of the squash then halve lengthwise using a spoon, and scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds. Place on the sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place on your pan cut side down and roast 20-22 minutes or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven and carefully flip the squash to be cut side up. 

Begin by rinsing your rice, then in a big medium pot, combine your rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high and cook 13-15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat,  fluff with a fork and set aside. 

Halve your lime, thinly slice your scallions, and cut your pepper into a dice, removing the seeds and ribs. Next, in a bowl, combine the yogurt, the juice of 1 lime half, and 1 tablespoon of water and season with salt and pepper. This will make a delicious zesty topping.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium high then add in your sausage, breaking apart with a spoon and cook 4 minutes until lightly browned. Add in your diced pepper and the white bottoms of your scallions for 3 minutes (if you don’t have scallions, half of a white onion would work as well!). Add in tomato paste then ¼ cup of water and stir until the sauce is slightly thickened and your sausage is cooked through. 

To the pot of cooked rice, add your cooked sausage, vegetables, and the juice of the remaining lime half and season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. 

Evenly divide the filling between the roasted squash halves then top with cheddar and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast back into the oven for 3 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Finally, remove from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Garnish with lime yogurt and the sliced green tops of the scallions. You might have some additional rice, which I divided between the two serving dishes. Enjoy!