More than any other time of year, I have always loved the summer’s end and early fall most of all. I love the chill in the air on late August and early September evenings, the feel of cozy scarves for the first time in months, the smells and sounds of soups and stews bubbling away on the stove. I never get tired of sweet potatoes, and I continue to love experimenting with new recipes for all kinds of squash, like butternut, delicata, acorn, and hubbard, not to mention pumpkins and spaghetti squash. The ingredients in this recipe hit all the right aromatic flavor spots, and I hope you get a chance to try it soon.

1 cup brown rice plus 1 tablespoon of wild rice
⅓ cup quinoa
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, rinsed and chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
8 ounces sweet potato, cut into ¼-inch cubes
6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Boil 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Stir in all the rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir the quinoa into the rice, cover tightly, and continue to cook on low for 15 minutes more. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes. 

While the rice cooks, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Stir in the onion, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the celery, cover, and cook for 3 minutes more until the celery is softening. Remove the cover and continue cooking for 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the wine, sweet potato, sage, and salt. Continue to cook for 15 more minutes, stirring often, until the sweet potato is tender. Add the black pepper and the rice mixture, and stir to combine. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately. Serves 3-4.

A prior version of this recipe was developed by Sara Quessenberry for Cleveland Clinic Wellness during the time I served as Medical Director.