Serves 4

½ cup millet
1 ½ cups water
2 small acorn squash, halved and seeded
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 TBSP coconut oil
½ cup chopped sweet or yellow onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 (5- to 6-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 TBSP cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
¼ cup shelled hemp seeds
4 heaping tsp fine gluten-free breadcrumbs, optional
4 tsp olive oil, optional

To cook millet:  combine millet and water in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered for 18 minutes, until water is absorbed. Don’t stir the millet or it will become creamy. You want to cook it like rice.

Brush the insides of the squash with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a broiler-safe rimmed baking tray. Place the squash cut-side down and bake about 45 to 60 min in a 350 F oven or until tender when tested with a fork. Remove from oven and turn on oven broiler.

While the squash is baking, heat the coconut oil in a large heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cranberries and continue sauteing, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and honey, stir, and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the hemp seeds.

Once the millet is cooked, fluff it lightly with a fork. Combine 1 cup of the millet with the spinach mixture and toss.

Turn over the baked squash halves so the cut side is facing up on the rimmed baking tray. Divide the filling evenly among the squash halves, mounding it slightly. Optional: top each squash half with 1 heaping teaspoon bread crumbs and drizzle 1 tsp olive oil. Broil 8 inches from the heat source for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned.

Recipe an adaptation from Vista Magazine Issue 84, November 2012