Name: Vegan Apple Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 null acorn squash (halved and deseeded); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt (more or less to taste); 0.25 tsp ground pepper (more or less to taste); 0.5 cup wild rice (uncooked); 1.5 cups vegetable broth (or vegetable stock); 2 null shallots (finely chopped); 6 cloves garlic (finely minced); 2 cups chopped mushrooms; 2 cups chopped kale (loosely packed); 1 null sweet red apple (chopped (about 1.25 cups)); 0.25 cup pepitas (or pumpkin seeds); 2 tbsp dried cranberries; null null fresh thyme (optional, I add about 1 tsp of each); null null fresh sage (optional, I add about 1 tsp of each)

Instructions

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1

Preheat the oven to 400F. Wash the squash (2 acorn), slice each in half from stem to end, and remove the seeds & stringy flesh. Add the squash halves to a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Season by rubbing with olive oil (2 tbsp), salt (1 tsp), & ground pepper (0.25 tsp). Flip upside down, then bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked through. Once cooked, flip over and set aside to be filled.
2

Once the squash is in the oven, add the wild rice (0.5 cup) and vegetable broth (1.5 cups) to a small saucepan. Stir, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes until tender. Cooked wild rice should be chewy but tender.
3

While squash and rice cook, prepare the filling. Chop the shallots (2), garlic (6 cloves), chopped mushrooms (2 cups), red apple (1 sweet), and chopped kale (2 cups). Heat olive oil (2 tbsp) in a large pan over medium heat. Once the [olive oil] is hot, add the shallots (2) & garlic (6 cloves) and sauté for 3 minutes until lightly browned.
4

Then, add the chopped mushrooms (2 cups), stir, and cook for another 5 minutes until starting to brown and crisp.
5

Next, add the chopped kale (2 cups), red apple (1 sweet), salt (1 tsp), and ground pepper (0.25 tsp). Stir and sauté with the other ingredients over low heat for another 2-3 minutes until the [chopped kale] has wilted and the [sweet red apple] is slightly cooked.
6

Turn off the heat. Add the pepitas (0.25 cup), dried cranberries (2 tbsp), cooked [wild rice], [fresh thyme], and [fresh sage]. Mix together and season with additional salt & pepper to your liking.
7

Fill each cooked [acorn squash] half with the [wild rice] stuffing. Garnish with additional [fresh sage] & [fresh thyme] and serve warm. Enjoy!