Vegan TexMex Style Stuffed Butternut Squash with Vegan Avocado Crema

What an enjoyable day and so far a great evening as well!  We bought a garden box for our deck so I can start a fun little garden on our oversized, awesome deck.  Yeah yeah, I know it is August, but hey I can still do fall vegetables.  Although, so far I only have kale and 4 herbs out there.  Next plan:  build our own box and get some fall veggies planted.  So much fun!  Plus it inspires me even more to cook all day.

So yeah....I have been cooking all day.  I call these crazed episodes my "freak mode".  I can't sit down and just continue to cook.  I don't think Ryan complains when these "episodes" occur.  His tummy is most certainly satisfied.

Technically speaking, this recipe is quite simple.  You really are not doing much cooking and there is little prep.  Just mixing your fillings and salsa together and throw it in the oven!  Note that you do have to make the squash first, so that does take some time.  You can choose whether or not to include vegan "cheese".  I thought it was a nice addition.  The avocado "crema" is also a really nice creamy addition as well!

Vegan Southwest Style Stuffed Butternut Squash with Vegan Avocado Crema

Ingredients (for the stuffed squash)  (yeilds 4 servings)

2 butternut squash, halved and seeds removed

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, rinsed and drained

1/4 c chopped red onion

1-2 vine ripe tomatoes chopped

1/4 c of your favorite salsa (I have been loving Rick Bayless' New Mexico Red Chili Salsa)

2 tsp chili powder
1 c vegan cheese of your choice (optional)
1 tbsp evoo

for the avocado crema:

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1/4 c vegan sour cream

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lime, juiced

salt to taste

Directions for the stuffed squash
Preheat oven 400.  Place halved and seeded squash in a baking dish and lightly brush with evoo.  Bake for 25 minutes.  In the meantime, make your filling.  Simply toss all the remaining ingredients except for the vegan cheese.  Once done baking, remove squash from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into cubes.  Leave oven on!
To cut the squash, cut a grid like pattern of cubes in each squash.  Remove the cubes with a spoon and add to your corn/black bean filling.  Stuff each squash with the filling, top with vegan cheese and bake for another 10 minutes or until "cheese" is melted.

Directions for the vegan avocado "crema"
Just throw all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Adjust seasoning accordingly.