Holiday/ Meditation/ Recipes/ Tips

Cranberry Almond Stuffed Squash

It’s a chilly week here in Charleston. We have definitely headed into the Autumn, or “Vata” season. It’s dry, windy, and chilly. Honestly, I have had several times recently where my anxiety has crept up. I have been able to observe it and sometimes learn to deal – but sometimes it gets the best of me. During the fall, our energy can be scattered and frazzled, and our minds can follow, allowing anxiety to creep up. For me, the best things I can do are 1) connect to the ground in my yoga class, 2) meditate or practice breathing exercises, and 3) eat more seasonal, grounding foods.

One of my favorite grounding foods is acorn squash. I love to roast it and stuff it with wild rice, cranberries, celery, and sautéed onions. The combination of these foods helps me to gather my energy and brings a sense of ease to my body and mind. From there, I am able to find more clarity and more energy for the tasks at hand. And on top of that, it’s pretty darn yummy.

Cranberry Almond Stuffed Squash

You can also switch out some of the ingredients if you have preferences. Learn to play around with this one and keep it fresh!Cranberry Almond

1 acorn squash, but in half

1 cup cooked brown rice*

½ sweet onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 celery stalks, chopped (small pieces)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

Dash of sea salt (Himalayan is best)

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup raw chooped/sliced almonds (you can chop them yourself in a food processor or buy them pre-sliced)

*I cook my rice ahead of time in a rice cooker, but you can use any method that works for you. I do suggest using slow cook rice as opposed to minute rice. Minute rice is super convenient but does contain preservatives. Frozen rice works well if you need it to be cooked in a short amount of time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut acorn squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place in an oven safe dish face down. Bake until ALMOST cooked (fork can pierce it, but with some resistance), approximately 20 minutes, depending on oven and size of squash. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in pan. Add onions, garlic, and celery. Sautee until just tender. Add cooked brown rice. Combine for 1 minute. Add cranberries, rosemary, thyme, and salt (as needed). When the squash is almost finished cooking, take it out of the oven and stuff with rice mixture. Top with chopped almonds. Add a few more cranberries if desired. Return to oven for 5 minutes. Take it out to cool for a few minutes and enjoy! For extra grounding, enjoy with a warm drink and light a lavender or sandalwood candle.