Walnut Cranberry Squash “Rice”

This recipe is easy and delicious!  It actually doesn’t even require any cooking at all!  While it is called “rice”, it is really shredded butternut squash (uncooked) combined with nuts, cranberries and spices to give the texture and feel of a rice dish.  You could mix some cooked wild rice with it for another twist or even boil the squash prior to mixing if you prefer.

The cranberries are packed with antioxidants, the nuts are loaded with healthy fats and the squash contains beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A.  All you need is a food processor for this recipe.  In addition, clean up is a breeze with no dirty pots to scour!

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash, about 1 pound, peeled, seeded and cut into 2 inch squares
• 1/2 small yellow onion, about 1/2 cup cup, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1/2 cilantro leaves, chopped (also known as coriander leaf, dried)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup walnuts, crushed
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

Instructions:

1. Put small batches of cubed squash in a food processor and process into small shreds.
2. Put processed squash into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add onion, cumin, coriander, cilantro, cranberries, walnuts and salt.
4. Mix well and serve.

Tastes great as a side dish, inside a wrap or mixed with greens as a salad.  With it’s Middle East flavor, it goes well with roasted leg of lamb or grilled chicken.  It will keep for about 2 days in the fridge.

*Hint:  A potato peeler works great to peel the skin from a squash.  Cut squash in half to scoop out seeds.  Then cube.