Acorn squash is filled with sliced apples, raisins and chopped nuts, and then baked in a thickened apple juice sauce. This is a perfect holiday side dish that has only 8 grams of fat per serving.

Maple Glazed Squash

Squash:
1 large acorn squash, seeded and cut into quarters
1/2 cup water
Butter-flavored vegetable cooking spray
1 large tart cooking apple, unpeeled, cored and sliced
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

 

Maple Flavored Syrup:
1 cup apple juice
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon stick butter or margarine
1/4 cup Equal® Spoonful*
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For Squash, place pieces cut sides up, in baking pan. Add 1/2 cup hot water. Bake, covered, in preheated 400°F (205°C) oven 30 to 40 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a knife.
2. Spray medium skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Add apple, raisins and walnuts. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes or until apples slices are tender. Set aside.
3. For Maple Flavored Syrup, combine apple juice and cornstarch in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, Equal®, maple flavoring and vanilla until blended.
4. Add Maple Flavored Syrup to apple mixture. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
5. Place squash wedges on serving platter. To serve, spoon apple mixture over squash.

Makes 4 servings.

* May substitute 6 packets Equal sweetener

Nutrition Information Per Serving: calories 228, protein 2 g, carbohydrate 40 g, fat 8 g, cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 41 mg.

Food Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 fat.

Recipe provided courtesy of Merisant Corporation ® and the NutraSweet Company, makers of Equal®.

Click for more information on the artificial sweetner Aspartame.