Festive Stuffed Acorn Squash

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Place the acorn squash stem-side up on a cutting board and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, and transfer to a bowl. Separate the seeds from the pulp. Set aside.

Set the squash halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, or until almost cooked through.

In a small pot, combine the wild rice and 1¼ cups (300 ml) vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Rinse the squash seeds and dry on a dish towel (some residual moisture is okay). Transfer to a small bowl and add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and maple syrup. Mix until well-coated.

Remove the squash from the oven and move to one side of the baking sheet. Using parchment paper, make a tray for the squash seeds. Spread the squash seeds on the tray.

Bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the squash is completely tender and the seeds are crispy.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the mushrooms and cook for 6-8 minutes, until they’ve released a good amount of liquid.

Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until semi-translucent. Add a drizzle of olive oil and the garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the kale, salt, and pepper, and cook until the kale wilts and reduces in volume by about ¼. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth and cook until kale is almost completely wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the wild rice and remove from the heat.

Fill each squash half with the mushroom mixture and garnish with the squash seeds and pomegranate seeds. (Save leftover squash seeds for snacking!)

Enjoy!