Sweet Dumpling Squash Stuffed with Dried Cranberry-Almond Quinoa

Quinoa is a South American grain. The leaves of the plant can actually be enjoyed as well, but here quinoa typically refers to the seeds or grain portion. They're small and circular, but with a distinct almost thread-like piece around each little grain. Think of it as a blend of rice and cous cous with some unusual twists of its own. It's hearty and yummy, but does not carry much of a flavor on its own. Usually its served with sauces, nuts, berries, spices, or even as a risotto-style dish.

In this case, I mixed it with some dried cranberries, nuts, and other tidbits and then stuffed it into sweet dumpling squashes. It was delicious and different. The savory flavors of the quinoa paired perfectly with sweetened dried cranberries and the naturally sweet flesh of the squash. I paired this vegetable-side dish with catfish crusted with cornflakes and served with a cilantro aioli. I made this once before with Halibut and you can find the recipe here.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 45 min
Cost: $14.01



Sweet Dumpling Squash Stuffed with Dried Cranberry-Almond Quinoa
Ingredients:
4 sweet dumpling squash
1 3/4 c uncooked quinoa
2 tsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp shallots, diced
1/3 c white wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 c dried sweetened cranberries (can use unsweetened if you prefer for a more savory flavor)
1/2 c chopped almonds
1/4 c mint, chopped

Get your oven pre-heating to 350 degrees. Cut the sweet dumpling squash in half from the stem down. Place each half on a greased baking sheet, cut side down. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip the squash over as soon as you can touch them so that they can be stuffed.

However, while the oven is pre-heating and the squash are baking you'll want to prepare the quinoa filling. Rinse and drain your quinoa. Set it aside for the moment.

Heat a pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil and let that heat as well. Then, add the shallots. Saute for about 3-4 minutes or until they just start to brown lightly. At that point, pour in 2 cups of water and the white wine. Bring to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, add the quinoa. Turn the heat down, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

As it's simmering, combine the other 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine. Once the quinoa is done cooking, put it in a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil-lemon juice mixture over it and toss well to combine. Add the cranberries, almonds, and mint. Toss again to combine well.

Once the squash are out of the oven and cooled, it's time to assemble. Make sure the cut side is up so they form a bowl. Overstuff each half so the quinoa is coming out of the top. Then, put the assembled squash back in the oven for 5 more minutes to let the flavors combine and everything thoroughly heat. Remove and enjoy.