This was a recipe I developed many years ago for my book The Magic of Living Nutrition. I have made this one at a few family gatherings and it has been a big hit!
4acorn squash,halved lengthwise; seeds and membrane removed (see note)
1cuporganic brown rice
1/2cupwild rice
4cupsvegetable broth or water
1/4teaspoonsea salt
1TBSPolive oil
1medium onion,chopped
3/4cupdiced celery
1/2cuppecans,coarsely chopped (you may use any nut of your preference)
1/2cupdried apricots,diced
1/2cupcranberries
1/2teaspoonsea salt
2-1/2teaspoonground ginger
1/8teaspooneach ground black pepper
1/8teaspoonground cardamom
1/8teaspoonground cloves
1teaspoonground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375º F.
Cook both varieties of rice together in broth or water with ¼ teaspoon of salt (omit salt if broth is already salted).
Meanwhile, place squash halves, cut side down, into a large shallow baking dish or cookie sheet (you may need two). Bake for 30 minutes.
In a skillet, sauté onion in olive oil until it becomes transparent. Add the celery and sauté a couple of minutes. Remove from heat. Using a large mixing bowl, blend this mixture together with the cooked rice, cranberries, nuts, apricots, and remaining seasonings.
When done, remove the partially baked squash from the oven. Spoon out some of the cooked squash and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Be sure to scrape only a little; you want to leave squash in the shells, too.
Press the rice mixture into each squash cavity, mounding rice as much as possible. (Depending on how large the squash are, you may end up with some leftover rice mixture, which makes a great side dish by itself.)
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until squash flesh is thoroughly tender.
Recipe Notes
Don't discard the nutritious squash seeds. Instead, rinse the seeds and remove the membrane. Pat dry. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil and spread the seeds evenly on the sheet. Spray seeds lightly with olive oil or with mix with Earth Balance and sprinkle with sea salt or any other favourite seasoning (optional). Bake the seeds in a 375º F. oven for about 15 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Enjoy immediately as a warm snack, or store them in an airtight container for up to one week.