Achieving an attractive browned finish to slow-cooked food usually isn’t easy, but that isn’t a problem here. The cut sides of acorn squash wedges lie on top of skillet-browned onions and brown as they slow cook; then the onions are incorporated into a brown-sugar-and-walnut sauce to top the squash. “Browning” never looked better!
Slow Cooker Size/Shape: 3- to 4-quart round or oval
Slow Cooking Time: 4 hours on low, OR 2 hours on high
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Calories | 150 | |
---|---|---|
Total Fat | 7.0 g | |
Saturated Fat | 0.0 g | |
Trans Fat | 0.0 g | |
Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.0 g | |
Monounsaturated Fat | 3.0 g | |
Cholesterol | 0 mg | |
Sodium | 102 mg | |
Total Carbohydrate | 22 g | |
Dietary Fiber | 3 g | |
Sugars | 10 g | |
Added Sugars | 0 g | |
Protein | 2 g |
Dietary Exchanges
1 1/2 starch, 1 fat
Ingredients
-
1 teaspoon canola oil (or) OR -
1 teaspoon corn oil -
1 medium diced onion -
1/4 cup water -
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts -
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon -
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg -
1 large acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), seeds and strings discarded, cut into 4 wedges -
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon firmly packed dark brown sugar -
1 tablespoon light tub margarine -
1 teaspoon vanilla extract -
1/8 teaspoon salt -
2 teaspoons canola or corn oil -
Cooking spray
Directions
-
Lightly spray the slow cooker with cooking spray. Set aside. -
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, or until beginning to lightly brown, stirring frequently. Transfer to the slow cooker. -
Stir in the water, walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. -
Arrange each squash wedge with a cut side down on top of the onion mixture, making sure that a cut side of each squash wedge touches the onion mixture. Cook, covered, on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork. -
Place the squash wedges on plates. Stir the remaining ingredients into the onion mixture. Spoon over the squash.