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chemicalfreeskinny: RECIPE:  HEALTHY, YUMMY (AND EASY) AUTUMN WHOLE FOODS ________________ Baked Acorn Squash with Red Quinoa and Pumpkin Seed Stuffing  _____________ INGREDIENTS 2 cups quinoa 4 tablespoons unsalted (organic*) butter 1 1/2 cups diced onion sea salt or Kosher salt 1/2 cup diced carrots 1/2 cup diced (organic…skip the pesticides*) celery 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup dried (sulfite-free/unsulfured*) apricots, (chopped the size of raisins) 1/4 cup dried (sulfite-free/unsulfured*) currants 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon freshly ground black pepper 4 medium Delicata squash**, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed(organic…skip the pesticides*) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing *ChemicalFreeSkinny recommendations **Feel free to substitute with your favorite squash _____________________________ PREPARATION 1. Adjust a rack to the middle shelf of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. 2. Simmer the quinoa in 4 cups of water until fluffy, 15 to 20 minutes. 3. While the quinoa cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, ginger, and sage. 4. Cover the pan and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes (add a tablespoon of water, if necessary, to prevent scorching.) 5. In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa and vegetables. Stir in the dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, nutmeg, and cinnamon, season with salt and pepper. 6. Brush the skin of the squash lightly with oil. Place the squash, cut side down, in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a snug single layer. 7. Pour 1/2-inch of boiling water into the pan and bake for 20 minutes (you want the squash to have softened slightly, but not completely). Transfer the squash to a plate and let rest until cool enough to handle. 8. Stuff the squash halves with the quinoa mixture, return them, stuffing-up, to the pan, and bake until the flesh can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 30 minutes more. Serves 8   _____________________ (Recipe: thedailygreen;Chef Peter Berley, author of The Flexitarian Table) Yum! I picked up a couple of these this weekend - this looks like a great “use what you have”-type recipe. I’m hoping squash keep awhile though, in case I don’t get to them for another week or so?

chemicalfreeskinny:

RECIPE:  HEALTHY, YUMMY (AND EASY) AUTUMN WHOLE FOODS

________________

Baked Acorn Squash with Red Quinoa and Pumpkin Seed Stuffing 

_____________

INGREDIENTS

2 cups quinoa
4 tablespoons unsalted (organic*) butter
1 1/2 cups diced onion
sea salt or Kosher salt
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced (organic…skip the pesticides*) celery
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried (sulfite-free/unsulfured*) apricots, (chopped the size of raisins)
1/4 cup dried (sulfite-free/unsulfured*) currants
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
freshly ground black pepper
4 medium Delicata squash**, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
(organic…skip the pesticides*) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

*ChemicalFreeSkinny recommendations

**Feel free to substitute with your favorite squash

_____________________________

PREPARATION
1. Adjust a rack to the middle shelf of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

2. Simmer the quinoa in 4 cups of water until fluffy, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. While the quinoa cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, ginger, and sage.

4. Cover the pan and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes (add a tablespoon of water, if necessary, to prevent scorching.)

5. In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa and vegetables. Stir in the dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, nutmeg, and cinnamon, season with salt and pepper.

6. Brush the skin of the squash lightly with oil. Place the squash, cut side down, in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a snug single layer.

7. Pour 1/2-inch of boiling water into the pan and bake for 20 minutes (you want the squash to have softened slightly, but not completely). Transfer the squash to a plate and let rest until cool enough to handle.

8. Stuff the squash halves with the quinoa mixture, return them, stuffing-up, to the pan, and bake until the flesh can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 30 minutes more.

Serves 8  

_____________________


(Recipe: thedailygreen;Chef Peter Berley, author of The Flexitarian Table)

Yum! I picked up a couple of these this weekend - this looks like a great “use what you have”-type recipe. I’m hoping squash keep awhile though, in case I don’t get to them for another week or so?