Vegan Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

Ingredients

• 2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
• 2 cups wild rice
• 1/4  cup pistachios, chopped
• 1/2  cup golden raisins
• 4 scallions, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Zest and juice of 1/2 orange (to taste)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• Olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste

Method

Roast the Squash:

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Place the halved acorn squash on a baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast for 35-45 minutes, cut side down, or until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Set aside.

Cook the Wild Rice:

• Rinse the wild rice under cold water. In a pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add the wild rice, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 45-50 minutes, or until the rice is tender and some grains have burst. Drain any excess water and let the rice cool slightly.

Prepare the Mix-Ins:

• While the rice is cooking, chop the pistachios, scallions, apricots, mint, parsley, and yellow bell pepper. Mince the garlic and set everything aside.

Mix the Salad:

• In a large bowl, combine the cooked wild rice with the pistachios, golden raisins, scallions, apricots, garlic, mint, parsley, and yellow bell pepper.
• Add the orange zest and juice. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the salad is well coated.

Stuff the Squash:

• Spoon the wild rice salad into the roasted acorn squash halves, packing it in lightly.

Serve:

• Serve the stuffed squash warm, with any extra wild rice salad on the side or saved for another use.