Whole30 Citrus-Seasoned Acorn Squash

As seen on Day 23 of our Whole30 Challenge (click to read more).

Quick Detour: I've purchased acorn squashes many times before, but never made an effort to figure out how to make them. Usually they self-destruct, and I"m forced to dispose of them before I have the opportunity to learn how to cook them properly. Apparently this was "almost" the fate of our current little guy as once again, we waited a little too long to finally give our acorn squash a try. I'm pretty sure we bought it on our first grocery run over 3 weeks ago...and I do remember it was green at the time...but apparently it changed colors on me while hiding in the back of our fridge. It still looked edible though. Only after googling it did I find out that you should select an acorn squash with a dull green rind (opposed to one that's turned orange). An orange acorn squash can have tough and fibrous flesh... Thanks Google! Good to know for next time! Determined not to discard this one too, we decided to give it our best shot.

TASTE TEST: Surprisingly the orange squash was still quite tasty. It was possibly a tad fibrous, but definitely still edible. They were a nice side dish, quite filling, and would be a wonderful autumn dish as well. I promise to cook my next one while it's still green...

Here's our modified version of the Whole30 Citrus-Seasoned Acorn Squash.

Note: I modified the Citrus-Seasoned Acorn Squash recipe from Country Cleaver's recipe which provided me inspiration and encouragement to give it a whirl: You can find the original recipe here.

Whole30 Citrus-Seasoned Acorn Squash

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 acorn squash, seeded and cut into wedges

• 3 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil)

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

NOTES:

• If you don't have all of the spices above, just use what you have. Acorn squash is great with all sorts of spice combinations.

• For a slightly different variation, omit the lime juice for Whole30 Savory Seasoned Acorn Squash. Click the link above for the recipe.

• We tried using both olive oil and coconut oil. We couldn't taste a major difference between the coconut oil and the olive oil.

STEPS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a small bowl, combine all seasonings and mix together.

3. In another bowl combine olive oil (or coconut oil) and lime juice.

4. Brush the squash wedges with the olive oil/lime juice mixture.

5. Sprinkle the squash wedges on all sides with the seasoning.

6. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until squash is tender.

7. Serve while warm and garnish with lime slices.

To see another acorn squash recipe variation, Whole30 Savory Seasoned Acorn Squash, click the link.