A stuffed squash recipe that makes playing with food fun! Roasted squash and gourds (Cucurbita) are so much fun baked in the oven and stuffed with nutrient packed quinoa, sage, cranberries and a bit of tangy goat cheese!
Currently we are feeling wildly obsessed with fall foods! Our persimmons tree has just bloomed, neighborhood pomegranate trees are blossoming and the grocery stores and farmers markets are blowing up with winter squash and edible gourds. Keep the fall foods comin' y'all!
My husband is not a fan of sweet potatoes, butternut squash, acorn squash, carnival squash or really any form of squash for that matter. That is a far away world to me because when I think of squash I think of big time comfort food! I'll take a roasted squash recipe any day over a plate of creamy mashed potatoes! After all, what do russet potatoes even do for you anyways except pack on the carbs and buttery fats to thighs. But a plate of roasted edible gourds or squash.... well that is a different story. I could eat that all day!
When the boys and I visit the Folded Hills Farm Stead we love coming up with new seasonal recipes with their fresh produce. I made this quinoa recipe about a month after chatting with the farmers about how to use all the glorious winter squash. The fun suggestion is roasting them, cutting off the tops to remove the seeds and stuffing it with a quinoa filling. Since goat cheese is constantly in my refrigerator it is the perfect choice to add a bit of "tang" to the nutty flavors squash naturally has. Plus goat cheese is softer on the digestive system (and I have a... let's say... COSTCO size obsession with it!). It has taken me so long to get this recipe on the bloggy because I made it twice trying to perfect a video to go with it. Figuring out new techniques to shoot videos is worth the hours, but boy is it time consuming! Time to just cut my losses when it's not perfect and hit the gosh darn PUBLISH button!
This stuffed squash recipe is super light
Yep, light! And when I say "light" I mean actually light... like I feel energetic as if I'm bouncing off springs after I eat it! Not that heavy sluggish feeling you get after a bunch of potatoes after Thanksgiving.
There are so many different winter squash options and edible gourds to choose from and really you could use acorn squash (like this recipe), carnival squash, round gourds, or even Kabocha squash for this recipe. Doesn't matter what squash you use, just make sure it is round so it sits up pretty.
To make the perfect stuffed squash recipe first cover the squash in aluminum foil and the roast it at 400 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes until it is soft inside. In the meantime, start making the quinoa. I like to make a big batch of quinoa in the start of the week to keep on-hand. That way I can add it to recipes (like this) or in salads and tacos (in place of rice). Takes so much of the prep work out of each meal! Can I get an AMEN to that one! Seriously I dread that dinner hour. I'm freaking tired and mentally drained and the last thing I want to do is plan dinner. So I highly recommend making quinoa ahead and having it ready for meals throughout the week. There ya go guys, I just planned out the rest of the week for you! Thursday - Quinoa Tacos, Friday- Quinoa Salad, Saturday- Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad, Saturday- Quinoa Nachos!
Ok, enough with the quinoa and back to the stuffed squash recipe. Sautee your garlic and onion and then add the quinoa, dried cranberries, scallions, salt and pepper and mix all those flavors together on low heat. When the roasted squash is finished let it cool for a bit so you don't scorch your beautiful hands while cutting and removing the seeds. When the squash (or edible gourd) is cooled, slice off the top and remove seeds with a spoon. Last but not least, add a whole bunch of goat cheese, a few leaves of sage and a splash of lemon.
As you eat this, make sure to grab a giant bite and scrape off all the inside of the roasted squash. It is the heart of this recipe and kids have fun doing that too!
Stuffed Squash With Quinoa, Cranberries and Goat Cheese
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Ingredients
- 2 Carnival Squash Acorn Squash, or an edible gourd
- ½ cup quinoa
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup white onion diced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup sliced scallions
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 sage leaves chopped (plus more for pretty garnish)
- ¼ cup goat cheese crumbles
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and wrap the squash in aluminum foil for roasting. When the oven is ready add the squash and roast for about 40 minutes or until a knife is inserted and it is soft inside.
- Meanwhile prepare the quinoa according to package directions.
- In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat add the olive oil or avocado oil. Sautee the garlic and onion for about 2 minutes. Turn down to low and add the prepared quinoa, dried cranberries, chopped sage and scallions. Blend well. Set aside.
- When the squash is finished roasting remove from oven and let set to cool slightly. Cut off the top and remove the seeds inside with a spoon. Add the quinoa mixture and top with goat cheese and a splash of lemon juice.
Nutrition
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