Roasted Acorn Squash and Garlic Dip

This recipe may take longer than most dip recipes to make – but it’s well worth the effort.  It’s a very versatile dip that tastes great on vegetables, crackers or spread on warm bread.  It can even be used as a low fat alternative to butter or margarine on sandwiches, or as a sauce for pizza.

Tip: This recipe can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen. 

Ingredients

1	acorn squash
1	apple
2 tbsp	orange juice
2	heads garlic
1 tsp	olive oil
	freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Cut squash in half length-wise, remove seeds and place cut side up in a shallow casserole dish.  Pour 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the dish.

Peel and core apple, cut in half.  Place each half of an apple into the hollow part of a squash.  Drizzle 1 tbsp (15 ml) of orange juice into each squash half.  Cover casserole dish with foil and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut off the top eighth of each head of garlic and remove any loose skin.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap each garlic head in foil, or place in clay garlic roaster.

Place squash and garlic in the oven and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the squash is tender when pricked with a fork. 

Remove squash and garlic from oven and cool slightly. 

Gently scoop out squash and apple, place in a mixing bowl.  Unwrap garlic and gently squeeze the roasted garlic into the mixing bowl with the squash and apple.  Mash with a fork until smooth.  Season with pepper.

Makes about 2 cups. 

Serves 8.

Per serving (1/4 cup): 49 cal, 1 g pro, 1 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 12 g carb, 2 g fibre, 0 mg chol, 3 mg sodium

Good source of: vitamin C

Source: /Leslie Beck’s Foods that Fight Disease (2008)