Food Matters Project #30: Broccoli & Cherry Rice with Acorn Squash

With the start of 2013, we’re back to doing Food Matters Project posts!  I apologize for neglecting this awesome weekly project, but after missing it for a couple of months, we’ll be doing them again!

This weeks recipe was chosen by Gracie, of Food Fascination.  Her choice was Hippie Rice, from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook.  Check out how others have adapted and made this recipe here.  See what other recipes we have made: Fifth Floor Kitchen Food Matters Project.

As always, I love recipes from this cookbook, since they can really be adapted to what you have in your fridge or pantry.  If I’m in the mood, I love to take the idea and run with it.  So here’s my recipe, inspired by Mr. Bittman- a great veggie, non-dairy dish to get you back into the healthy groove after all those holidays!

Broccoli & Cherry Rice with Acorn Squash
Inspired from: Food Matter’s Cookbook

1 acorn squash
1 tsp salt
1 cup rice, uncooked
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 head of broccoli, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Cut the acorn squash in half, horizontally.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and toss them out.  Lay the squash halves, cut side down, on a greased foiled lined tray.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until the acorn squash is tender inside.  Scoop out the acorn squash with a spoon or fork, add it to a medium bowl.

Meanwhile, cook your rice according to package instructions.  Remember to add 1/2 tsp salt into the pot.  Once it’s cooked, add to the bowl with the acorn squash.

Heat up a medium skillet, and add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Allow to heat up, then add the onion.  Sauté the onion for about 3-5 minutes, then toss in the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.  Finally, add in the broccoli and soy sauce, cook for another 5 minutes.  Once it’s finished cooking, mix in the ingredients with the rice and acorn squash.

Lastly, add in the dried cherries, pumpkin seeds, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper- mix all of the ingredients together.  Spoon the rice mixture into the 2 halves of the acorn squash.