Sometimes, I feel like I get into a bit of a food rut. I make a LOT of dishes with carrots and cucumbers, okay? While they’re undoubtedly good for me, sometimes I want to break away from the foods I normally reach for, and try something NEW. Thus, here is Part 1 of my new recipe series that I’m lovingly dubbing “Stranger Foods” – where I choose a food item that I or others may have felt unfamiliar with or a bit intimidated by (or just plain don’t know what on earth to do with!) , and try to make something delicious out of it. Today’s recipe is Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Walnut Quinoa.

Today’s Stranger Food: Acorn Squash

I’ve never cooked with this stuff before now. I see it in the grocery store (usually passing it on my way to find the cucumbers, carrots, and avocados), and give it some side-eye as I walk by.  So, I took the plunge and actually bought a couple in the hopes of expanding my culinary horizons.

What is it? The acorn squash, also known as a pepper squash or Des Moines squash, is a winter squash.  It’s green with a bit of yellow on the outside, it’s ridged, and the innards are yellow-orange.

Why should you put it in your face?  It’s high in antioxidants (which fight free radical damage in the body) and is high in beta-carotene. Consuming lots of beta-carotene can mean you have less chance of heart disease and cancer. It’s also an anti-inflammatory food. If that hasn’t convinced you, acorn squash is also quite high in potassium, which helps keep blood pressure at normal levels. Finally, the high vitamin C levels in acorn squash promote collagen production (the stuff that keeps your skin healthy, young and elastic-y).  Who doesn’t love that?

Don’t let it intimidate you! Acorn squash is fairly easy to cut, easy to scoop out with a spoon.

This Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Walnut Quinoa recipe tastes like it would fit right in with Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s a stellar meal for anytime, really, and looks impressively complicated even though it’s not difficult to make.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Walnut Quinoa

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Garlic Hussy

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 55 mins

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 4

This Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Walnut Quinoa recipe is part of Garlic Hussy’s Stranger Foods series. It’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich but mostly it’s glorious, creamy, and filling.

Ingredients

• 2 medium acorn squash
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• ½ tsp. fresh black pepper
• 2 handfuls spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

1. First, preheat oven to 350°F. Slice the squash in half, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. If needed, cut a small slice from the end of the squash to let it lay flat while cut side up. Use a silicone brush to lightly coat squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, then crack fresh salt and pepper over each squash and place cut side down on a baking sheet with sides. Bake for 40 minutes.
2. Next, cook the quinoa. IMPORTANT: rinse quinoa before cooking, or it may retain a bitter flavor. In a small pot, bring quinoa 1 cup water to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute or so, then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork.
3. Meanwhile add 1 Tbsp oil to a pan on medium heat. Add chopped yellow onion and cook until softened and starting to turn golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl, combine vinegar, honey, lime juice, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.
5. Add walnuts and cranberries to a food processor, then pulse until finely chopped. Remove from food processor and add to your large bowl along with quinoa, onion, and spinach. Stir until well-coated.
6. Scoop ¼ of filling into each squash hole. You may need to press it a bit to make it fit.
7. If you want your squash to be nice and hot for serving, place on baking sheet with sides and cook for 15 minutes at 350°F or until squash and filling are heated through.

Serving size: 4 Calories: 343 Fat: 17g Saturated fat: 2g Unsaturated fat: 14g Carbohydrates: 49g Sugar: 20g Sodium: 951mg Fiber: 6g Protein: 5g

3.5.3226

Step by Step Instructions for Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Walnut Quinoa

Part A: Roasting the Squash

First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice your acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds using a plain old metal spoon.  If needed, cut a small slice from the tip of the squash so that it will flat while cut side up. Use a silicone brush to lightly coat squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, then crack fresh salt and pepper over each squash and place cut side down on a baking sheet with sides. Bake for 40 minutes.

When they’re through cooking, they should be tender when poked with a fork and look something like this. Little wrinkled darlings.

Part B: Making the Filling for Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Walnut Quinoa

Quinoa! It’s a freakin’ superfood.

Next, it’s time to cook some quinoa. This stuff is amazing. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wahh. There, now you know) is a whole grain with the rare quality of being both a plant based food and a complete protein. Most grains do not contain all the amino acid protein structures human beings need all in one package. Basically it’s an awesome source of fuel for humans and it will probably get its own dedicated post at a later date, but I digress. NOTE: make sure to rinse your quinoa before cooking, as some people can detect a soapy or bitter taste in quinoa that was cooked without rinsing. In a small pot, bring quinoa 1 cup water to a boil. Let the quinoa and water boil for 1 minute or so, then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork.

Chop dis.

Meanwhile chop your onion and add 1 Tbsp oil to a pan on medium heat.

Next, add chopped yellow onion and cook until softened and starting to turn golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Then, in a large bowl, combine vinegar, honey, lime juice, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

Next, add walnuts and cranberries to a food processor, then pulse until finely chopped.

You can chop the spinach by hand with a knife or use the food processor.

Remove cranberries and walnuts from food processor and add to your large bowl along with quinoa, onion, and spinach, then stir until well-coated.

Finally, scoop ¼ of filling into each squash hole. You may need to press it a bit to make it fit.

The finished product is tangy and creamy with a hint of sweetness and spice. This Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Walnut Quinoa is really filling too – I found that half of one serving was all I could eat at one time. These keep well in the fridge too. I ate my leftovers for lunch this week and they microwaved beautifully for a quick healthy meal.

If you want your squash to be nice and hot for serving, place on baking sheet with sides and cook for 15 minutes at 350°F or until squash and filling are heated through OR heat them in the microwave for a minute or less.

Conclusion:

That’s it! You’ve successfully cooked acorn squash! I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Stranger Foods and that the humble acorn squash is no longer a mystery food you side-eye at the grocery store. I can’t wait to do more Stranger Foods, so if you liked this recipe and learning about foods you may not be familiar with, I’d love to hear suggestions on what food items to cover next, so be sure to leave a comment with a food you’d like to see me try to cook!