Stuffed Winter Squash

Last night for dinner we had a dish that has become a fall standby- stuffed winter squash. I learned this dish from my friend Analisa, and I love it because it's a great way to quickly throw together a healthy and tasty meal out of ingredients that I usually have on hand.  If you have a grain dish already made, just add some nuts to it and stuff the squash with that. I stuffed my squash with the rice recipe I made earlier in the day- Rice with Lemon, Parsley, and Walnuts- but even if you don't have a grain dish made ahead of time, this comes together pretty quickly. The basic recipe goes like this:
Stuffed Winter Squash
1 winter squash, cut in half and seeds removed
1 cup cooked grain (brown rice, quinoa, etc.)
1/2 cup toasted nuts
oil
an assortment of finely chopped veggies (I like to use onion, garlic, grated carrot, celery, and finely chopped greens. I bet mushrooms and finely diced zucchini would also work well here)
salt and pepper
dried herbs (I like thyme, summer savory, or dill)
a bit of grated sharp cheese (like cheddar or swiss)
Preheat oven to 350F. Place squash cut side down on a cookie sheet. Add about 1/2 inch of water to cookie sheet. Bake squash in oven until it is soft enough to be pierced with a fork, adding water as necessary to keep the pan from drying out (the water allows the squash to steam). For reference, this delicata squash took about 20 minutes to cook. I made an acorn squash last week that took 40 minutes. Cooking time will vary greatly depending on the thickness and type of squash you are using.
While the squash bakes, prepare the stuffing. Saute the vegetables in the oil, starting with the onions and garlic. Add each vegetable and cook until soft, adding salt, pepper, and herbs to taste. Mix sauteed vegetables with cooked grain and toasted nuts, adjusting seasoning as desired. When winter squash is finished baking, flip it over and fill with the grain-vegetable mixture. Top with grated cheese and put back into the oven and heat until cheese is melted.