Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the halved squash on a baking sheet. Rub the olive oil over the squash. Then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Roast the squash for 45 minutes or until fork tender.
While the squash is roasting, cook the bacon until crispy in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on the stove. Place the cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. To the same sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Then, add the garlic and sage and cook for another minute. Add the kale to the mix, sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale begins to wilt. Take the pan off the heat.
Chop the bacon into bits. Reserve ⅓ cup for the topping. Add the rest of the bits to the kale mixture and stir to combine.
When squash is done roasting, let it cool for a few minutes. Once the squash has cooled, scoop out the seeds and remove the peel. Add the squash to the kale mixture and stir until combined. Give the mixture a taste and sprinkle with salt if needed.
Transfer the mixture into a large casserole dish. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chopped pecans and the remaining ⅓ cup of bacon bits over the top. Place back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Before serving, drizzle the maple syrup over the top.
Notes
Serving size: ⅔ cup Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com Calories: 137 Fat: 6.7g Carb: 15g Fiber: 2.7g Protein: 6.5g Sugar 3.3g Sodium: 594mg
Recipe by Destination Delish at https://www.destinationdelish.com/butternut-squash-bacon-and-kale-casserole/