Recipe: Savory Stuffed Butternut Squash

By now, we’ve covered all the usual suspects as far as Thanksgiving recipes go, from turkey to cranberry sauce to stuffing and everything in between. We dug a bit for a unique recipe to feature this month and found this savory recipe that those with dietary considerations might love, as well as those who just want to try something new.

Ingredients:

• 2 butternut squash
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 6 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of zest from a lemon
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3/4 cup of dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup of cashews, toasted and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 can of quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional and oh so good:

You can add honey, different nuts like walnuts and hazelnuts, shaved hard cheeses, diced apples, other savory herbs like thyme and sage, bits of kale and chickpeas. If you want a little spice, add chili pepper flakes. Want a protein? You could brown and crumble vegetarian sausage to mix in.

What to do:

Halve and scoop out the seeds of your butternut squash while your oven is preheating to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, lightly brush olive oil onto your squash, sprinkle with just a pinch of salt and pepper, and roast it upside down for about 45 minutes, until done.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then scoop out enough from each to make room for your other ingredients. Set your scooped squash aside in a bowl.

While that is happening, mix quinoa with 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Then drain and rest for 20 minutes.

Fold in 3/4 of your remaining olive oil, the remaining cinnamon, lemon juice, extra squash, your spices and herbs, dried cranberries, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in any additional ingredients that piques your interest, such as chickpeas, mint or a sprinkle of chopped nuts.

Refill your squash with the mix above and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. This is also when you can add any extra ingredients of your choice, such as a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of hard cheese, and toasted and chopped nuts.

Serve warm for 4-6 hungry people. Happy Thanksgiving!