Stuffed Pattypan Squash

These photos are kind of the worst, but this recipe is phenom and pattypan squash are coming up hot right now...so I'm posting today. You can make them with or without goat cheese, depending on your dietary preferences...both ways are equally delicious.

This is an awesome recipe to feast on the flavors of the season!

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon ghee, butter or coconut oil + a little extra

4 pattypan squash

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

4-5 Roma tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes you have—these guys were small), chopped

2 cups chopped kale (or some other green)

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup almond meal (if you don't have almond meal, you can throw almonds in a blender and blitz until they reach a rough flour-like consistency)

1/4 cup herbed goat cheese* *completely optional. If you use, that obviously negates the paleo and vegan tags.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim the ends of the squash, then cut in half crosswise. Scoop out the seeds and some of the squash, leaving a shell. Reserve the scooped out squash! Using a melon baller would make this part much easier. I don't have one, so I used a metal tablespoon.

Rub the face of the squash with some ghee (or whatever cooking fat you're using). Place face down.

Your job isn't over yet! While squash is a cookin', heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large fry pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, reserved squash, tomatoes, kale, and seasonings. Cook down until tender, about 10 minutes. You'll notice that the mixture is pretty juicy. Turn down heat to low and add the almond meal. This should sop up most of the juice. If using goat cheese, add it in now, and stir to melt and mix the cheese into the veggies. Remove from heat.

Take pattypans out of the oven and allow to cool slightly so you don't burn your hands off. Flip them over and transfer into some sort of baking dish with sides. This will keep the squash right side up! Divide the veggie filling equally between the squash halves, as seen below (you'll notice that there is one half missing—my toddler was staring at me with hungry eyes, so I gave her one...which worked in my favor because there was no way I was getting that sucker into this dish).

Transfer back into the oven, and cook for 15-20 more minutes, until slightly browned on top. Serve it up, serve it up!