Description
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Brown Rice, Kale, Cranberries and Pecans
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 acorn squash
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (or quinoa)
- 1/2 large onion
- 2 cups chopped fresh kale
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little more
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional but highly suggested)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, finely diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, white cheddar, gouda, monterey jack, etc)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place squash flesh side down in a baking dish and add about 1 inch of water to the pan. Loosely cover with foil and place in oven to bake until tender, about 30-45 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare rice according to package directions. While rice and squash are cooking, sauté the onion, kale and shallots in a large pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once onions are soft and translucent and kale has wilted down, add the garlic and cook for about 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and cranberries. Place cooked rice in a bowl and add butter and salt/pepper to taste. Add the sautéed veggie mixture and fresh sage and toss to combine. Season again to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove squash from the oven and carefully flip flesh side up. Pour any remaining water out of the baking dish. Fill the squash with the stuffing mixture, letting it overflow a bit. Top with cheese if desired. Return to the oven and cook for another 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.