Preheat your oven to 400F.

Place the squash halves, cut side down, on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

Place squash in the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes, until tender when pricked with a fork.

When they are done, remove them from oven to cool slightly.

While the squash cooks, place the rice in a medium saucepan and cook according to the package instructions. (It should take around 30-40 minutes to cook.) Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it stand, covered, for a few minutes.

While your rice is simmering, heat a small, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pecans toast, stirring frequently, until the pecans are fragrant (4-5 min). Transfer pecans to a separate bowl.

In the (now empty) sauté pan, heat the butter. Add the diced onion and sauté over medium heat until softened, 3-4 minutes.

Add the seasonings and the diced apple to the sauté pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, to heat the apples through.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the contents of the sauté pan to the cooked rice. Add the toasted pecans and mix with a fork to combine.

Place a cooked squash half, cut side up, on your serving plate. Fill with rice mixture. Top with extra chopped pecans, if desired.