This shortcut chili stuffed acorn squash tastes like a million bucks but comes together with just minutes of hands-on work, thanks to using your favorite store-bought chili.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Fill an ungreased loaf pan or roasting pan with about an inch of tap water.
Score the top of the acorn squash halves with a sharp knife and gently rub the brown rice syrup onto the surface. Put about 2 tablespoons of nondairy milk in the well of each of the squash halves. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the squash.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until nearly soft, then add about 1/2 cup of chili to each half of squash.
Return to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until chili is hot and squash is cooked through. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
The water in the bottom of the pan is used to keep the peel and interior of the squash from drying out. It only needs to be about an inch of water - more water might cover too much of the squash and increase the time it takes to cook.Cutting an acorn squash in half is easiest if you have a heavy-duty chef's knife, because you want to cut it vertically straight through the stem. If you're having trouble getting through the stem, just slice as close to it as you can. It's okay if the squash halves aren't perfectly equal in size, as it's difficult to overcook.