Butternut Squash Stuffed with Spiced Pears

Feel free to substitute other squash to suit your taste!

1 medium butternut squash (about two pounds)
1 tsp coconut butter
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 pears, cored and diced
1 tbsp apple juice
2 tbsp sweetener of choice
1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced or 1/8 tsp dried ginger
1/8 tsp cinnamon
pinch of allspice or cloves
2 tbsp roasted, slivered almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the squash, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Bake, cut side down, in a shallow baking pan until almost tender (about 40 minutes).

While the squash is baking, saut?he onion in the coconut butter until transparent, then mix in the pears, apple juice, sweetener, ginger root, cinnamon and allspice. Cook gently for three to four minutes. Spoon the filling into the scooped-out hole in the squash and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Return to the oven for about 10 more minutes or until tender.

Source: alive Magazine (pre-2000)