Maple-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Roasted acorn squash filled with wild rice, apples, cranberries, pecans and warm autumn spices. A comforting, nourishing dish that tastes like fall.

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 crisp apple, diced
• 1 cup cooked wild rice
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup, plus a little extra for finishing
• 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Optional: crumbled goat cheese or feta

Instructions

1. Roast the squash. Heat oven to 400°F. Brush squash with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast cut-side down for 30 to 35 minutes, until tender.
2. Make the filling. Melt butter in a skillet. Cook shallot and apple until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in sage, cinnamon, maple syrup, wild rice, cranberries, and pecans. Season to taste.
3. Stuff the squash. Turn the roasted squash over and generously spoon in the filling.
4. Finish. Bake for another 10 minutes. Top with crumbled cheese if desired and drizzle lightly with maple syrup.