Butternut Squash, Kale & Chicken Sausage Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Healthy Weeknight Meal alert! Butternut Squash, Kale & Chicken Sausage Stuffed Poblano Peppers -- Spicy, delicious and protein packed. Poblano peppers stuffed with antioxidant rich butternut-squash, vitamin rich kale, and lean protein. Wow! This is a recipe powerhouse for a weeknight meal, that will keep you and your family healthy and ready to conquer the week ahead!

Butternut Squash, Kale & Chicken Sausage Stuffed Pablano Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 pablano peppers
• ¾ lbs. chicken sausage removed from the casing
• ¾ cup red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 cup butternut squash diced
• 3 cups fresh kale, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro (save two tablespoons for garnish)
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup shredded sharpe white cheddar cheese -- plus extra for sprinkling on top 

PROCESS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450F degrees.
2. Slice poblano peppers in half and remove the seeds and stem – set aside.
3. On a parchment lined baking sheet lay out peppers with cut side up. –drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 450F.
5. Chop butternut squash into small cubes
6. Chop red onion, garlic, kale and cilantro
7. In a large sauté pan, drizzle olive oil -- on medium - high heat cook ground chicken sausage. Add cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, red pepper and ground pepper. Remove from pan.
8. In the same sauté pan drizzle again with olive oil, keeping heat at medium - high, cook chopped butternut squash, onion and garlic until golden brown – about 5 minutes. Add back ground chicken; additionally add kale.
9. Remove from heat and mix in orange juice, cilantro and ¼ cup shredded sharpe white cheddar cheese – stir gently.
10. Remove pablano peppers from the oven and lower heat to 350F degrees
11. Fill pablano peppers with heaping scoops of the chicken sausage mixture.
12. Add shredded cheese to the top -- Cover with foil.
13. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil covering for the last 5 minutes of baking.
14. Sprinkle with remaining fresh cilantro…ENJOY!