ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SQUASH PARCELS

My children love helping make this dish – they choose their own little squash and stuff them to the max – it’s become a little competitive to see who can stuff the squashes with the most filling – we load these little beauties with grass fed minced beef, lots of onions, garlic, fennel, apricots, pine nuts and lots and lots of turmeric.

Easy

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Passive Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 medium squash
• 500 g minced beef
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves garlic - grated
• 1 large fennel (finely chopped)
• 12 dried apricots (chopped)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee or lard
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

• Heat the over to 160 degrees Celsius (320 Fahrenheit)
• Slice the heads off the squashes (keeping them as lids) and scoop out the seeds
• Season each squash cavity with salt and pepper
• In a frying pan, heat ½ a tablespoon of your oil
• Fry the onions and garlic until translucent
• Add the fennel and fry for 5 minutes
• Add the turmeric and give it a good mix
• Add the minced beef, season with salt and pepper and cook until the meat has taken some colour
• Add the chopped apricots and pine nuts and cook for a couple of minutes
• Fill each squash as tightly as you can and place the lids on top
• Melt the rest of the oil and drizzle over the squashes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until the squashes are soft and tender
• Serve hot on its own or with a large green salad or medley of steamed broccoli and green beans – or any other seasonal vegetable

Notes

Anti-Inflammatory Squash Parcels

THE SCIENCE BIT

This is a fantastic anti-inflammatory dish, loaded with turmeric, and possesses tremendous antimicrobial properties with heaps of garlic, and anti histamine properties with plenty of onions and fennel. SQUASH contains oodles of antioxidants, vitamins A and C as well as plenty of B vitamins. PINE NUTS are a fantastic source of healthy fats, iron and a great source of magnesium, essential for energy, digestion of fats, protein and carbohydrate and a precursor for neurotransmitters like serotonin (our feel good neurotransmitter) and melatonin (our sleep hormone). DRIED APRICOTS are a great source of potassium and iron and a wonderful source of soluble fibre. GARSS FED BEEF is loaded with iron, B vitamins, especially vitamins B12 and B6 essential for the nervous system. This is a true Super Hero dish.