Vegan Wild Rice Stuffed Butternut Squash Food

VEGAN WILD RICE STUFFED SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (or 218°C).
• Roast the squash: Slice each butternut squash or acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds and gunk with a spoon. Place each squash half, cut side up, on a baking sheet and rub each with a bit of olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Roast acorn squash halves for 45 minutes and butternut squash halves for 50-55 minutes or until the flesh is fork tender and lightly browned.
• Rinse the wild rice well.
• Wild Rice, Instant Pot Method: Add the wild rice and 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting for 25 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release and drain off any remaining liquid.
• Wild Rice, Stovetop Method: Place the wild rice and 3 cups of vegetable broth in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and cover. Simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until the kernels have burst open. Drain off any remaining liquid.
• Make the wild rice salad: Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Once hot, add the shallots and cook until they are starting to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden.
• Add the shredded kale and season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until the kale is starting to soften.
• Turn off the heat and transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add the cooked and drained wild rice, along with the pine nuts, chopped parsley, chopped basil, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Toss well to combine and incorporate the flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stuff each squash cavity with the wild rice salad. Drizzle each half with tahini. Serve with additional chopped parsley on top, if desired.1. NOTE: you can also scoop out flesh from the roasted butternut squash to create a more hollowed out boat. That way, you can add more of the wild rice filling into each boat.

SUNNY'S QUICK WILD RICE AND SAUSAGE STUFFED SQUASH

Steps:

• For the squash: Prick the squash all over with a fork. Place on a plate and microwave, flipping halfway through, until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool until easy to handle.
• Cut off the squash stem, then cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the seeds and leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh within the skin to help maintain its shape. Level off the squash halves so they rest without tilting by cutting a tiny slice off each skin side. Place on a baking sheet, flesh-side up.
• Add the rice, bocconcini, raisins, walnuts, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the bowl with the scooped squash and mix well to combine.
• For the sausage: Add the olive oil, onions, sausage, curry powder, thyme and salt and pepper to taste to a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up the sausage into small crumbles, until the sausage is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. Add to the bowl with the squash and stir to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fill the hollowed squash halves with the mixture and roast it until the cheese melts and the tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro, drizzle over some olive oil and serve warm.

STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH WILD RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Place butternut squash, cut side up, onto a baking sheet. Brush on some oil and sprinkle chopped thyme on top.
• Bake for 45 mins, or until soft. Insert a fork to check doneness. If it's fork tender, it's ready.
• Place the rice in a large bowl and rinse 3 to 4 times with cold running water to wash off extra starch from the rice. Drain it well and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat for 2 minutes until the hot oil sizzles and shimmers. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft.
• Add rice and stir well to combine. Add peas, vegetable stock powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add approximately one cup of water (water level should be one inch above the mixture) and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Check occasionally to see if the liquid is absorbed.
• Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 10 to 15 minutes. The rice is still cooking by the residual heat. Gently fluff the rice. Note that this rice mixture is supposed to be a little mushy.
• Once the squash is fork tender, let it cool down to room temperature, or cool enough to handle. Scoop out the pulp, leaving the butternut squash shell at 1/2-inch thick.
• Add the pulp to the rice, and stir well to combine. Transfer the rice mixture evenly amongst the two shells.
• Sprinkle cheese on top (optional). If adding cheese, place the stuffed squash back into the oven and broil on high for 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts and turn golden brown on top. Keep a close eye on the broiler as things can burn quickly.
• Let the stuffed butternut squash cool for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top.