TIME: 2 HR 10 MIN | YIELD: 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium butternut squash

• 1 pound ground grass-fed beef or turkey

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or grass-fed butter

• 1 small zucchini, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 tablespoon oregano

• 1 tablespoon thyme

• 1 tablespoon sage

• 1-2 tablespoons grade B maple syrup (substitute powdered stevia to taste for a sugar-free version)

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and slice butternut squash lengthwise in half. 

2. Place each half face down in a baking dish with a thin layer of water in the bottom of the dish. Bake for 1 hour or until soft.

3. While squash is baking, sauté onion, zucchini and red pepper in coconut oil or butter until just tender. Add seasonings and stir. Set veggie mixture aside. 

4. Place meat in sauté pan and cook until brown. Add in veggie mixture, sweetener, salt, and pepper. Let cool until squash is cooked.

5. Once squash is cooked, flip over and scoop out seeds to discard. Using a spoon scoop out a trough along the length of the squash and add the scooped out squash to the meat mixture. Stir and taste to see if any additional seasonings or sweetener is desired. 

6. Stuff squash with meat mixture and top with butter if desired. Bake in oven at 350 until warm - approximately 20-30 minutes.