Stuffed Squash

One of my goals this year is to eat less meat. I am already on a dairy-free diet, so I figured I might as well give up the entire animal. I am mostly trying because of the many health benefits. I still eat meat a few times a week but am trying to center our dinners at home around delicious, filling alternatives. I call this recipe simply "Stuffed Squash" because you can use whatever type of fall or winter squash.
Acorn and butternut are my two favorites. I did not use ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, or cloves but I believe they would all be great additions. We enjoyed it with green beans and rosemary sourdough bread.

Stuffed Squash
Serves 8, but I adapted it using one squash to serve 2.

Ingredients:

• 4 acorn or butternut squash, halved lengthwise; seeds and membrane removed
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 4 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped (you may use any nut of your preference)
• 1/2 cup cranberries(can substitute or add dried, chopped apricots)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon each ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. Cook both varieties of rice together in broth or water with ¼ teaspoon of salt (omit salt if broth is already salted).
3. Meanwhile, brush squash halves with olive oil and place, cut side down, into a large shallow baking dish or cookie sheet (you may need two). Bake for 30 minutes.
4. In a skillet, sauté onion in olive oil until it becomes transparent. Add the celery and sauté a couple of minutes. Remove from heat. Using a large mixing bowl, blend this mixture together with the cooked rice, cranberries, nuts, apricots, and remaining seasonings.
5. When done, remove the partially baked squash from the oven. Spoon out some of the cooked squash and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Be sure to scrape only a little; you want to leave squash in the shells, too.
6. Press the rice mixture into each squash cavity, mounding rice as much as possible. (Depending on how large the squash are, you may end up with some leftover rice mixture, which makes a great side dish by itself.)
7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until squash flesh is thoroughly tender. Check squash by poking all halves with a fork.