Quinoa & Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized acorn squash
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 large red apple , chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 2-3 tbsp pure maple syurp
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep the acorn squash by cutting them in half lengthwise. Use a good, sharp knife for this because they can be hard to cut.
- Once you cut them in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Drizzle the cut side of each piece of acorn with about a tsp of olive oil, then season them with a pinch of salt. Lay them face down on a lined baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes. You should be able to pierce a knife all the way through the flesh easily when they are done.
- While the squash is cooking, prepare the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer with cold water. Combine the quinoa, 1 cup of water, and a small pinch of salt in a medium sized pot over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil, once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.When the quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl so it has a chance to cool down.
- Prepare the apples while the quinoa is cooling. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the coconut oil to melt. Add the chopped apple and saute for 3-4 minutes, until they just start to turn lightly brown. Next, add in the chopped pecans and maple syrup. Stir frequently to make sure the pecans don’t burn, and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Add the apple mixture to the quinoa and stir it all together.
- When the squash is done cooking, remove from the oven and use tongs or a spatula to turn them over so the inside can cool a bit. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, spoon the quinoa mixture into the center of each piece of squash and serve.
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