Stuffed Butternut Squash

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Cut the butternut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Then, with the same spoon or a melon baller, hollow out the inside of the squash to make room for the stuffing. Leave 1 inch or so around the outer edge. Set the removed squash flesh aside.

If the flesh is too hard to remove, you can either remove it after the squash has baked or microwave the squash for 3 minutes on high. I prefer to remove the flesh before the squash bakes because it creates a more stable squash or stuffing. Place the squash on a baking sheet and brush both sides with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Set the removed squash flesh next to the whole squash halves on the baking sheet and cover the flesh with parchment paper. Bake the squash cut side down in the oven for 30 minutes, along with the squash flesh. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Mix the rice, chickpeas, dried cranberries, pecans, almonds, dried thyme, chopped parsley, two tablespoons of olive oil, agave syrup, roasted butternut squash flesh, salt and pepper.

Turn the squash over and stuff the hollowed out squash with the stuffing. If you have too much stuffing, put it in the bottom of an ovenproof dish and cook alongside the squash. Place in the oven for 20 minutes until heated through.

Serve in with arugula or in the oven dish with the remaining stuffing.