While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

As fall approaches, grocery store shelves start to look a little different. Among the newbies, you’re sure to find a small variety of squash. You’re probably most familiar with the butternut squash, and maybe even the spaghetti squash, but let us draw your attention to a smaller variety - the acorn squash.

Named after its shape, this smaller gem is as American as it gets, and was once considered a staple of the Native American diet. While it’s considered a vegetable by many, it’s actually really a fruit. And, although it shows up in the colder months, it’s really related to the zucchini and crookneck or summer squash.

Being that acorn squash is a good source of fiber and potassium, it fills you up and is good for your heart. Acorn squash is easy to prepare  - you can simply cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and roast or steam it. Or, you could stuff it.

Stuffed Acorn Squash:

1. Cut squash in half around its "equator" and scoop out the seeds (these can be saved for roasting if you’d like).
2. Brush the squash flesh with melted butter and season with salt, pepper and whatever spices you’re comfortable with. Because the squash is sweet, earthy spices like cumin, coriander and fennel work well.
3. Roast the squash at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour.
4. While it's roasting, make the stuffing. Try ground Italian-spiced turkey or chicken, and pork works well too. Season and brown the meat and reserve. If you want to add spices, make sure you choose ones that complement the ones you’ve already used on the squash.
5. While the meat is working, cook half a cup of quinoa. That’ll yield a cup of cooked quinoa. It's best to cook in chicken or veggie stock and toast the quinoa prior to adding the liquid. A thyme bundle also adds a nice freshness to the seed.
6. Combine the meat and cooked quinoa and add a cup of freshly grated pecorino cheese. This will help combine your mixture.
7. You can either stuff the roasted squash now and return it to the oven with a little more cheese on top to brown, or you can wait until the squash is done and then stuff it. Either way, you’ll enjoy a hearty meal that’s sweet and savory.