Barley-Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 36 ounces acorn squash 
• 1 cup carrots diced
• 2 cups pearl barley cooked
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil dark
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 0.3 teaspoon ground pepper red
• 1 cup leek sliced
• 2 tablespoons soya sauce low-sodium
• 1 cup onion diced
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed toasted
• 1 cup shiitake mushroom caps fresh sliced
• 2 cups pkt spinach fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon water 

Equipment

• frying pan
• plastic wrap
• microwave

Directions

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and stringy pulp.
2. Place squash halves, cut sides up, on a 12-inch round glass platter; sprinkle with water. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; microwave at high 15 minutes or until tender, rotating platter a half-turn every 5 minutes.
3. Let cool slightly. Scoop pulp from shells to equal 2 cups, reserving pulp and shells; set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
5. Add mushrooms and next 4 ingredients (mushrooms through garlic); saut 5 minutes. Stir in reserved squash pulp, spinach, and next 4 ingredients (spinach through red pepper). Spoon 1 cup spinach mixture into each squash shell half; sprinkle with sesame seeds.