Squash Stuffed Apples
Serves 4 - Use organic ingredients whenever possible
2 Granny Smith or Pippin apples
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon fresh apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 heaping cups butternut squash, cubed
1 tablespoon Earth Balance non-hydrogenated margarine
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pumpkin pie seasoning or cinnamon
Preheat your oven to 325˚
Core the apples and them cut them in half across the middle.
Using a paring knife and spoon, scoop out some of the pulp to form apple “bowls”. Save the pulp.
Put the apple into a small baking dish.
Whisk together the apple cider and agave nectar and pour over the apples.
Bake for 30 minutes, basting the apples at least once with the sweetened cider in the dish
While the apples are baking, peel, seed and cube the squash.
In a skillet or large pot with a cover, melt the margarine over a medium low heat.
Add the cubed squash, reserved apple pulp, maple syrup and the tablespoon of cider and saute covered for 15 minutes.
Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick or burn.
Let the squash mixture cool for a few minutes uncovered before putting it into your food processor with the salt and blending until smooth.
Transfer the squash mixture to a pastry bag and pipe into the apples.
If the cider in the baking dish has not thickened, pour it into a small pot and bring to a fast simmer for 1 minute to thicken it
Pour the thickened cider over the stuffed apples and sprinkle them with pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
