Mustard Spiced Salmon and Cous Cous Stuffed Dumpling Squash

Winter squash is amazing in all forms, but sweet dumpling squash remains one of my favorites. It might not be as common as butternut or acorn, but you should still be able to find it easily at least at Whole Foods, when in season, even if you can't find it at your local farmer's market. Of course, I urge you to buy local when you can! It's a smaller squash than some of the other favorites, and has a thin skin that is completely edible. It means it's not as hard to cut as some of it's cousins and peeling isn't necessary. I know you're probably already sold - but did I mention it's deliciously, naturally sweet?

Here, I serve the squash stuffed with a mix of savory and sweet ingredients, but you can easily cook this in many ways. I also prepared a simple salmon dish. The fish is broiled to lock in its moisture (I'm not a fan of baking salmon) and topped with a quick-to-prepare mixture of mustard, honey, and spices. It's flavorful without being overpowering, letting the delicious, natural flavors of the salmon still shine through.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 1 hr
Cost: $15

Nutrition and recipe below the jump!

Cous Cous Stuffed Dumpling Squash
Time: 1 hr

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized sweet dumpling squash
2.5 c roasted garlic and olive oil cous cous, prepared
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/8 c almonds, blanched
1/8 tsp black pepper

Get your oven pre-heating to 375 degrees.

Cut each sweet dumpling squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray and place the four halves in the dish, cut-side down. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

Remove the squash from the oven, but keep it on.

Mix the cous cous, cranberries, almonds, and black pepper in a bowl. Turn the the squash halves back over, so the cut-side is now facing up and they form bowls. Divide the cous cous mixture among each one, stuffing it inside the "bowl" of the squash. It's okay if the mixture overflows a bit. Return the squash to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Servings: 4
Serving size: 1/2 squash
Nutrition: calories 215; carbs 45g; fat 2g; protein 6g; sodium 431mg; iron 8mg

Mustard Spiced Salmon
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb Alaskan salmon
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper

Get your broiler pre-heating and coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. (Or use oil if it's a non-stick broiler pan.)

Put the salmon on the pan, skin-side down.

Mix the Dijon mustard, honey, Turmeric, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl until evenly combined. Brush the mixture evenly over the fish. Put the pan in the oven and broil for 10-12 minutes or until the salmon is cooked to the desired degree.

Servings: 2
Serving size: 1/2 lb
Nutrition: calories 390; carbs 2g; fat 20g; protein 48g; sodium 230mg; iron 5mg