Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash: Roasted

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush the cut sides of your halved squashes with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Place them cut side down on your baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork.
2. While the squash is roasting, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in your skillet over medium high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with your spoon until it's browned and crispy. Note: Let the meat sit for 2 minutes before stirring to get a better crust.
3. Toss in the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until they look translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and chopped spinach, cooking just until the spinach wilts.
4. Take the squashes out of the oven and flip them over. Use a spoon to scoop out about 1 inch of the flesh to make a cavity, but be careful not to poke through the bottom.
5. Roughly chop that scooped out squash and stir it right into your sausage mixture along with the cooked brown rice.
6. Scoop the filling into the squash cavities, packing it in firmly. Top each with a generous handful of shredded mozzarella.
7. Turn your oven to broil and cook for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
8. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Note: This keeps the filling from sliding out when you cut into it.