Sweet Rice and Acorn Squash Bowls

It's that time of year... my two comforters are no longer sufficient and I need to break out the heater blanket. Which also means it's acorn squash season!! My mom made squash when my brother and I were little and I HATED it (sorry, mom). Even drowned in melted butter and brown sugar, squash was not something I would eat willingly.

Needless to say, that eventually changed. I recently watched documentary titled "Forks Over Knives." In the last part of the film, the pro-plant food (Whoop!) researchers meet for dinner and eat something that looks like wild rice baked in cute little acorn squash bowls. I had to try it. I felt guilty adding butter and brown sugar to something that's so naturally sweet, so the rice gets its sweetness from dried cranberries and walnuts.

This recipe isn't as pumped full of vegetables as my usual dinners are... on good days, anyway... but it's better than the ice cream I was craving on my way home from the rec center! Acorn squash has about 115 calories per 1cup serving, less than an equivalent serving of potato. That same 1c serving also packs 9g of dietary fiber and 2g of protein. To boost the protein in this meal, I added kidney beans and rice (legume + grain = complete protein!). Squash also contains vitamins E and B6, minerals potassium and magnesium, and over 30% of the daily recommended amount for vitamin C. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, too! I'll Nom to that!

The Ingredients:

1 acorn squash, cut in half and seeds scooped out (like a cantaloupe)
1 1/2 c wild rice, rinsed
1/2 c sweetened, dried cranberries
1/2 c walnut halves & pieces
1/2 c rinsed kidney beans
3c water
2 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning (cinnamon, allspice, cloves...)
2tsp salt + sprinkle for squash
2 tsp pepper + sprinkle for squash

Preheat oven to 400F

1. Bring water to a boil and add wild rice. Cook until most of the water is absorbed (~30 mins) and add pumpkin spice seasoning, salt, and pepper.
2. Microwave acorn squash half cut-side down on plastic wrap for 5 minutes
3. Cook rice until all water is absorbed, and add cranberries, walnuts, and kidney beans.
4. Remove squash from microwave and place cut-side up in a glass baking dish. Poke holes in the sides and bottom with a fork.
5. Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper, then scoop rice into the hole in the center (you will have enough rice for both halves and then some).
6. Bake squash for 10-15 more minutes.

And because I couldn't resist... I sprinkled ~1TBS brown sugar over the squash when it came out of the oven. Om Nom Nom!