Thanks-Giving Kabocha Squash with Chestnut-Vegan Sausage Stuffing, Delicata Squash, Green Beans, Black Radish

We had something nice to celebrate; late this afternoon, the baby took her complete "meal" by suckling directly from her Mom, and didn't need any breast milk to be fed via bottle! We realize that the baby is probably still often going to need bottles, but this was a milestone that goes a long way to my wife's getting more rest!

In commemoration, I put together a dinner of thanks. As is common with Thanksgiving meals, squash was included; both kabocha and delicata. Like I usually do with winter squashes, I cut each in half and put them, cut side down, on a shallow plate or bowl with a little bit of water in a 375°F oven for about a half hour; the kabocha took maybe ten minutes more.

I had never made a stuffing from chestnuts, and had a big bottle of roasted, peeled, whole French chestnuts. I used a dozen (and have a bunch left so will probably make another stuffing in the coming days, probably with potatoes in acorn squash), that I cut into small chunks. I also cut one Field Roast Grain Meat Company apple-sage artisanal vegan sausage that I had left into small chunks, as I did with a small sweet onion. I started sauteeing the onion for a minute or two over medium-high heat in my cast iron pan, then added the sausage. As the sausage started to brown, after maybe three-five minutes, I added the chestnuts. Just a minute or two later, I added a little salt, paprika, and dried parsley (I wanted to add sage but couldn't find it in my cupboard), then, after stirring and letting sit for a minute or so, served in the kabocha squash.

I also served some green beans, briefly sauteed in macadamia nut oil (which is what I also used with the stuffing, instead of my default extra virgin olive oil), then topped with fresh lemon juice and salt (oops - forgot to also include freshly ground black pepper). Finally, I found black radish in the grocery store, and served it - I was happy to see that it wasn't too sharp at all, as I feared it might be.

Dinner was good! It ended up being too much food; my breastfeeding wife got through most of it, but I had to wrap up and save half of my kabocha squash.