Fruity Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1/2 cup dried apricot, cut in half
• 1/4 cup raisins (I use thompsons)
• 1/2 cup orange juice (Tropicana Calcium Fortified, with pulp, is best, you can't taste the pulp here)
• 2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. 1

   Soak the apricots and raisens in the juice overnight. If you forget to do this, no biggie. See below.

2. 2

   Cut your squash in half, and scoop out the seeds/pulp. Place in a glass pan, cut-side down, and stab each half a few times like you would a potato. Pour on about 1 cm of water, and bake in a 325 F oven about 50 minute (medium squash) or 1 hr and 15 min (large squash- times are approximate guesses). Test with a long knife. You know it's done when it's quite soft all through, but not actually mushy.

3. 3

   If you didn't soak the fruit, place it with juice in a small pot, bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Let sit, covered, while squash bakes.

4. 4

   5 minute before the squash is done, transfer the fruit mixture to a food processor or mini-chopper if you have one. Pulse a few times, then add the seeds and blend till they're slightly chopped. It should be like a thick, chunky paste.

5. 5

   Turn squash halves rightside up, scoop the fruit mix in the hollow part, and cover the pan with foil or a glass lid. Bake 10-15 minutes more.

6. 6

   To serve, divide squash among plates and give each a share of the fruity stuff. Mash it up together, it's really good that way!