2 acorn squashes or 1 medium sugar pumpkin
2 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil or canola oil
1 cup brown rice and lentil mix (½ cup each)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, chicken broth or water
½ teaspoon dried thyme or sage
1.Wash hands well with soap and warm water. Wash produce thoroughly.
3.Cut squash in half and remove the seeds and pulp. 4.Place squash face down on a baking sheet. Bake squash for 30-45 minutes, until it is fork tender (can be easily pierced with a fork).
5.While your squash is baking, in a medium saucepan, fry onion and garlic in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. 6.Pour in brown rice and lentils, stir constantly. Toast rice and lentils with onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes until nutty and fragrant.
7.Pour in vegetable broth, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme or sage. Stir mixture and bring to a boil.
8.Once mixture begins to boil, cover pot with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Set timer for 45 minutes and cook covered until all moisture is absorbed.
9.When rice mixture is cooked, transfer into a large bowl. Add greens to hot rice mixture and toss with a fork. The hot rice mixture will begin to cook the greens. Set aside.
10.When fork tender, remove squash from oven and pack rice mixture into squash halves. Sprinkle cheese on top.
11.Serve immediately or place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to melt cheese.