Recipe: Squash with Wild Rice, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing

This recipe is a delicious and satisfying way to use local harvest vegetables that are in season right now. Choose acorn, delicata, or butternut squash - use any squash that looks good in the grocery store or your CSA box!

The recipe includes wild rice, kale, and walnuts (which are all high in magnesium and other minerals), and don't forget to save and roast those squash seeds to put on top - squash and pumpkin seeds are some of the most magnesium rich foods you can eat!


Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded (delicata or butternut squash can be substituted) - save the seeds to roast! 
• 4 tblsp olive oil or melted butter, plus 1 more tsp of olive oil for roasting squash seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4-5 oz mushrooms, chopped or shredded (crimini, maitake, lion's mane, or oyster - many mushrooms will work well in this recipe)
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• OPTIONAL - 2 sausages, chopped or crumbled (I use Beyond Meat beer brats but other sausages can be substituted) - the sausage adds flavor and texture but the recipe can be made without it
• 1 small bunch kale, chopped or torn (other greens like spinach or turnip greens can be substituted)
  
• 1 cup wild rice (for more flavor, cook in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water)
• 1 tsp sage (ground or chopped fresh leaves)
• ½ tsp thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Start cooking wild rice according to package directions - it will take longer than white or brown rice, usually about 45 minutes after bringing it to a boil! 

Brush the insides of the squash with 2 tblsp olive oil or butter and sprinkle with ½ tsp of the sage as well as salt and pepper. Place squash cut side up on tinfoil lined cookie sheet and roast for 45-50 minutes (or until fork tender). 

While squash is roasting, line a small cookie sheet with tinfoil. Toss squash seeds with 1 tsp olive oil and spread them on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with sea salt and roast on separate rack in 400 degree oven for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. 

Heat the other 2 tblsp olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add chopped mushrooms and cook 3-5 minutes until they start to brown. Add sausage and cook until browned as well. Add apple and walnuts and cook until apple starts to soften. Add kale and cook until wilted. When wild rice is done cooking, add it to skillet and stir to combine with the rest of the stuffing ingredients. Season stuffing with the other ½ tsp of sage, ½ tsp thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. (If you are using fresh herbs, you may find that you need more.) 

Scoop filling from skillet into acorn squash halves and return to oven for 10-15 minutes until it starts to brown on top. Sprinkle with roasted squash seeds and serve! 

You will likely have extra filling. It can be eaten on its own as leftovers the next day or frozen to use for a quick stuffed squash dinner in the future!

---