Recipes & Food Styling

Hello, sunshine! 

Finding a focal point for a plant-based holiday meal can be tricky. A gorgeous, bright orange sunshine kobucha squash stuffed with wild rice and meaty mushrooms is a perfect alternative.

Lower in carbohydrates and calories than even sweet potatoes, kobucha squash is loaded with nutritional value. Kobucha squash provides fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and C.

My trick for baking squash? Roast squash whole until it is tender enough to easily  pierce with a fork, about 1 hour. Set it aside to cool and then trim off the top and scoope out the seeds.

Stuffed Sunshine Kobucha Squash

2 large kobucha squash

3 cups wild rice

5 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups chopped mushrooms

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup lighly toasted slivered almonds

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Place the squash, stems straight up, in a large roasting pan, and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over each squash. Sprinkle 1/4 tablespoon of salt and 1/4 tablespoon of pepper over the squash. Set the squash in the oven to roast. Roast until the squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. 

In a large mixing bowl, prepare the rice; add in the mushrooms, cherries, almonds, salt, and pepper; and use a large spoon to stir to combine. 

Remove the squash, and set it aside to cool, about 10 minutes.

Use a knife to cut off the stem and top 1 inch of the squash. Set the tops aside, and scoop out the seeds of the squash. Replace the seeds with the rice mixture. Place the stem / top on the squash, and serve.