Submitted by Madelon Martinez

About the cook: I started baking at about 5 years old. Nothing makes a day better than baking. Spent six years working in a cookie store where I found my love of decorating. Currently working in a school cafeteria entertaining my interest in nutrition and making any recipe healthier.

About the dish: Delicious vegan main entree or side dish for those cold fall days. The cranberries give this dish a holiday taste that's good any time.

National Origin: Vegan

Serves: 4

Estimated Time: 30 to 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup frozen kale
1/4 cup chopped celery, fresh or frozen
garlic powder, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup drained and rinsed chickpeas (about half a can)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degress F. Place squash cut side down in a baking dish, add water to dish. bake for 40 mins, or until fork tender.

2. In frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery to pan and let cook for about five minutes, or until onions translucent. Add kale, garlic powder, rosemary, salt and peppercook for another two minutes or until kale is thawed and wilted.
3. Stir in cooked rice, chickpeas, walnuts and cranberries. Remove from heat.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Most of the water in the pan should have evaporated. Fill each squash half to almost over flowing with rice mixture. Bake for another 15 minutes or until heated through.

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