Warming from Within: Eating Acorn Squash in the Fall & Winter

by Amy Bourque, Transform at Amy Bourque Yoga

Every year when the air turns crisp and the days shorten, I find myself drawn back to my kitchen in a different way. The rhythm of summer fades—the salads and vine ripe vegetables, the lighter energy, the endless motion—and in its place comes a quieter call. As winter settles in, nature invites us to slow down, nourish, rest, and turn inward.

This is winter’s invitation.

In Ayurveda, winter is the season of Vata—the energy of air and ether. Its qualities are cold, dry, and mobile, just like the wind swirling outside the window. When we’re out of sync with this rhythm, it can leave us feeling ungrounded, scattered, or anxious. But when we listen, we realize that the answer isn’t to resist the season—it’s to move with it.

Acorn squash offers a delicious and grounding antidote to the cold, airy qualities of winter. Its naturally sweet taste and earthy texture with added warming spices make it ideal for calming Vata dosha. Just the smell of acorn squash cooking with ghee and warming spices fills the kitchen and soothes the senses!

That’s the power of Ayurveda—it teaches us that food isn’t just fuel; it’s energy, medicine, and connection. Acorn squash, with its gentle sweetness and grounding nature, brings balance to winter’s airiness. It calms the nervous system, steadies digestion, and nurtures the warmth we crave when the world outside feels cold and dry.

I made this recipe for maple and ghee acorn squash and it is perfect either on its own or filled with curried lentils and rice!

Ingredients and Steps:

Lentils:

Sautee 1/2 of a chopped onion in ghee (or oil) with 1 tsp curry, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric, black pepper and salt

Add 1 cup of lentils

Add 3 cups (or more) of vegetable broth (or water)

Cook until the lentils are very tender. You may need to add more broth or water.

Rice:

Cook either 1 cup of basmati or brown rice according to cooking directions (usually 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water)

Mix the rice and lentils together and keep warm.

Acorn Squash:

Cut the squash in half and take out the seeds.

Rub the inside of each half with ghee

Add garlic powered, black pepper and a bit of salt

Add a Tbsp of maple syrup to each half and coat the inside

Cook (cut side up) in the oven at 375 degrees until tender and you can easily poke with a fork.

Remove from the oven and fill each half with the rice and lentils.

Eat slowly. Rest fully. Trust the season.