Stuffed Acorn Squash

Thank you to our friends at Belfast Community Co-op in Belfast, Maine for this amazing recipe!

In the month of October, we celebrate co-ops. Why? Because they are awesome! We feature recipes from co-ops around the country in our special Co-op Recipe Guide.

Ingredients

  • 2 acorn squash
  • ¾ cup wild rice blend  
  • 2 oz maple syrup 
  • 2 oz Earth Balance Buttery Stick 
  • ¾ oz olive oil
  • ¼ oz apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ tsp maple syrup
  • 1 cup dried cranberries 
  • ½ cup pecan halves
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 2 scallions

Directions

  1. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Melt the Earth Balance with maple syrup in a small saucepan. Place squash halves on a parchment lined sheet pan and brush with Earth Balance and maple mixture.
  2. Bake in convection oven at 350° until squash is very soft and edges are browning. A knife will easily pierce the flesh. Remove from oven, brush again with Earth Balance and maple mixture and cool.
  3. Toast pecans on an unlined half sheet pan 4-5 minutes.
  4. Steam the rice with 3 cups of water until all the water is absorbed and rice grains are cooked through with some tooth left. Put cranberries on top and cool rice.
  5. Whisk together EVOO and cider vinegar and pour over rice and cranberries. Drizzle over maple syrup. Cut celery to a fine dice. Slice scallions into very thin rings. Add pecans and mix it all together.
  6. Using an appropriately sized scoop to the size of the squash, usually the 3 ¼ oz scoop, fill the squash cavities with rice mixture. Arrange on a platter.