The Sunset Cookbook Acorn Squash with Blueberries + Side of Orange Rice

Winter harvest is a time to enjoy warm comfort-food, but often in a heavy, buttery way. I recently found The Sunset cookbook: Food with a Gourmet Touch. Published in originally in 1960, this book features a variety of vegetarian and meat-based cuisines. 

I love retro recipes, and modernizing them into dairy-free versions for everyone to enjoy. 

These two recipes are in The Sunset Cookbook and followed to accordingly with the exceptions of using vegan butter instead of regular butter. For the squash recipe, the original recipe notes for each half to receive one tablespoon of butter and sugar. 

In the 1960's eating that way was probably okay, but with today's modern-health issues, I reduce those ingredients since the standard American diet contains too much salt, sugar and dairy-based ingredients. 

Packed wth winter harvest and winter flavors, this combination ignites the best of fruit and vegetables together. 

The winter-time is challenging health-wise, and it's easy to stew in hibernation mode and eat junk to comfort boredom and emotions. 

The orange itself, and the orange colored squashes provide nutrients that keep our immunity healthy and operating with function. 

Acorn squash is packed with the following: vitamin C, provitamin A, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese, all of which are critical for health. It also contains high contents of soluble and insoluble fiber that promotes digestive health and relieves constipation. 

Both types of fiber aide the friendly bacteria that lives in your gut known as probiotics. 

This vintage Mid-Century cookbook and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.

The Sunset Cookbook Acorn Squash with Blueberries + Side of Orange Rice
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves 4

Acorn Squash with Blueberries 
2 Acorn Squash, cut in half longwise
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 apple, diced (used Opal)
2 tbsp vegan butter
1 tbsp sugar

Orange Rice 
3 tbsp vegan butter
1 celery stalk, diced
1/4 onion, diced
1.5 cups water
1 cup orange juice, (juiced from 3 cara cara oranges)
1 orange grated (2 tbsp) for zest 
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 1/4 tsp salt

Acorn Squash
Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Cut squash in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds. In a bowl mix together the blueberries and apple and add it to the center of the four squash. I used 1 tbsp of sugar and evenly sprinkled it on top of the four squash.

(The original recipe calls for 1 tbsp of sugar and one tbsp of butter per squash). Add 1/2 tbsp of butter on top of each squash. Add water in the bottom of pan, enough to cover the pan. Cover the pan in foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. 

While baking, begin cooking the rice. 

Rice
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan with a cover. Add celery and onion and cook until tender and light brown. Stir in water, orange zest, juice and salt, and bring it to a boil. Add the rice, cover and reduce to a simmer, and cook until rice is tender (depending on the brand can take 20-30 minutes). If the rice dries and is still hard, add more water and cook until tender. 

Let's Connect! Check out my other similar recipes posted below! 

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