This is a delicious special occasion roast. I serve it with some vegan gravy and rosemary roast potatoes for a super tasty roast dinner.

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash
2/3 cup of chestnuts (pre-roasted and peeled), chopped
1/2 cup of pecans, finely chopped
1/3 cup of dried apricots, finely chopped
1 & 3/4 cups of mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 sprig of rosemary, and 1 sprig of sage, chopped
1 & 1/3 cups of cooked black lentils
1 tablespoon of tamari
1 red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons of dried barberries or cranberries
a handful of kale
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 425F. Halve the butternut squash and roast for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil for 5 minutes until soft, add the barberries and gently cook for another minute or two. Put the onion to one side and now cook the mushrooms, garlic and herbs with some salt and pepper for a few minutes until soft. Then add the lentils, tamari, and nuts and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes.
When the squash is roasted and cooled down enough to handle, scoop out the seeds and discard. Then scoop out some of the flesh to create a space for the filling. Mix the scooped out flesh with the lentils. Fill the squash with lentil mixture, layer on the onions and kale. Close the squash back together and gently tie with string. Put the squash back in the oven for 15 minutes heat through.
Remove and slice with a sharp knife.

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