Create an edible cornucopia for your Holiday table with this pumpkin stuffed with a fall harvests of corn, beans, greens, nuts, and herbs. It will make a beautiful—and delicious—centerpiece.

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Stuffed Holiday Pumpkin

Recipe by the Naked Food Chefs

  • Yield: 10-12 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup raw pecans or cashews
  • 1 large 6- to 8-lb. pumpkin
  • 1 lb. wild rice blend
  • 1 1/4 cup filtered water, divided
  • 2 lb. fresh organic spinach
  • 1/4 cup shoyu, tamari, or liquid aminos
  • 5 cups sliced organic button mushrooms
  • 1 cup diced organic celery
  • 1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh sage, divided
  • 4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, divided
  • 2 cups organic, non-GMO corn kernels (3 ears)
  • 1 ½ cups cooked black beans, or 1 BPA-free can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • Ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Place the pecans or cashews on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
  3. At the same time, on an oven-safe glass dish or baking tray lined with a silicone mat, bake the pumpkin whole for about 60-90 minutes. Pierce slightly with a knife a couple of times during baking. When knife goes in easily, remove the pumpkin from oven. Let it cool for 10 minutes and cut the top carefully. The inside of the pumpkin will be extremely hot! Scoop out the seeds and pulp and set aside.
  4. Cook the wild rice according to package instructions. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
  5. Bring the 1/2 cup filtered water to a boil in a skillet. Add the spinach and 1/4 cup shoyu. Turn the heat off and cover for 5 minutes or until wilted. Chop lightly and add to the rice in the bowl.
  6. Bring another 1/2cup filtered water to a boil in the skillet. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, sage, and thyme. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until all liquid has evaporated. Stir in the corn, black beans, and an extra 1/4 cup of filtered water to avoid dryness. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add to the rice mixture and stir. Add the roasted pecans or cashews and chopped celery. Season with ground pepper, if desired.
  7. Fill the pumpkin with the rice mixture and bake, without the cover, for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and fluff the rice stuffing a bit.
  8. When serving, be sure to scoop a bit of the pumpkin flesh along with the stuffing, so guests get some of both. Alternatively, cut the pumpkin into 10-12 wedges and serve a wedge to each guest along with a generous scoop of rice stuffing.

Notes

Pumpkin seeds can be roasted in the oven as well. Place the seeds in a single layer on a silicone baking sheet and roast at 300°F for 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. The extra pulp can be blended in a food processor and used in soups or smoothies.

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