By Francesca Patterson

Delicata squash is one of my favorites this season because of it’s nutrition and subtle sweetness, perfect for a roasted weeknight side dish. It’s an excellent choice for Fall squash because the skin is thin and tasty enough to eat. I usually bake this in rings but decided to make it a full meal this time. This is truly a balanced and enjoyable vegetarian recipe with protein-rich chickpeas, hearty kale, and crunchy breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 delicata squash (cut lengthwise, seeds and stringy bits removed)
• 2 cups of Tuscan kale (stems removed, chopped)
• 1 can of chickpeas (drained, rinsed)
• 1/2 yellow onion (diced)
• 3 cloves of garlic (diced)
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning (or dried oregano)
• 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan (and/or nutritional yeast)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub your halves of delicata squash in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake with the flat side down for 20-25 minutes.
2. While the squash is baking, preheat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet. Add in your onions and garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add your chickpeas, kale, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook this all for about 5-7 minutes, or until chickpeas are tender and the kale has wilted.
3. In a small bowl, mix your panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and parmesan or nutritional yeast.
4. When squash is done, remove from oven and spoon in the chickpea/kale mixture to fill each half. Top the stuffed squash with a hefty sprinkle of the panko/parmesan mixture, drizzle with olive oil, and place back in the 400-degree oven to cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve immediately and top with more parmesan. Tastes great with hot sauce!