Butternut Squash & Pomegranate Quinoa

After the crock pot full of comfort on Sunday and that ridiculous Snickers Pie on Tuesday, clearly it is time to reestablish some balance.  Remember – Cupcakes & Kale Chips, yin & yang, ice cream & salad.  People always seem to say that they are always looking for ways to prepare quinoa, so here is one for you, incorporating some ingredients I have been obsessing over lately – pomegranates and butternut squash.

This recipe was inspired by one of my foodie friends, Carrie, from Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen.  I saw her Farro Salad with Pomegranate, Goat Cheese and Walnuts and fell in love – some of my favorite flavors, pretty colors, crunch, GOAT CHEESE!!  But with the wheat allergy, farro isn’t typically in my repertoire.  So I thought I would just make the exact recipe, but sub in quinoa or millet.  But I had some butternut squash, so couldn’t resist throwing that in.  And I wanted to serve it as a warm side dish, so I didn’t want to stir in the goat cheese – I just sprinkled it on top at the table (then proceeded to forget to do this when I took the photos – oops!).  Granted, The Bug wasn’t a fan (he never really digs quinoa or couscous for some reason), but The Hubby and I liked it.  I more than liked it.  I loved the tangy crunch of pomegranate, the subtle sweetness of the squash against the balsamic mixed into the quinoa.  Sooo good!  I could have kept eating, but I knew I had to save some to photograph because it HAD to go on the blog.  You see what I do for all of you!  And I am growing a human life!

In fact, remember how the other day I told you I wasn’t gonna let you in on how much Snickers Pie I ate?  Yeah, kinda the same thing happened here.  I had the leftovers in one Tupperware, and totally intended to split it up over some mixed greens for lunch.  Umm, yeah, totally couldn’t stop eating it.  But I will let you know, perfectly acceptable to eat it room temperature or cold.  And since I was sitting in a hotel room alone, eating it out of a Tupperware with a plastic fork (don’t ask), I didn’t have any goat cheese with me – still fabulous!

One more thing about Carrie – she is now a cookbook author!  Her new cookbook, Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen – A Collection of Mediterranean-Inspired Family Meals, was just released on Tuesday, and is available for purchase at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  I totally have to get my hands on a copy.  And, she lives near me, so I am hoping we can get together soon, so that she can sign it!!

Tell me about your cookbook collection?  I have tons!  I usually get one as my souvenir on vacations or if we go to a special restaurant, plus celebrity chefs I like, baking books, books with recipes and techniques specific to certain appliances (bread machine, crockpot, etc.)…

Butternut Squash & Pomegranate Quinoa

 

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A delicious, seasonal quinoa dish with the tang and crunch of pomegranate seeds and subtle sweetness of butternut squash.

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips, adapted from Farro Salad with Pomegranate, Goat Cheese and Walnuts from Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen

Recipe type: Side Dish, Dinner

Ingredients

For the butternut squash:

• 2 c butternut squash, in approx. ½ in. cubes
• 1 T olive oil
• ½ t kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the quinoa:

• 1 c uncooked quinoa
• 2 c vegetable or chicken stock/broth
• 1 Pomegranate, seeds only
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 t chopped fresh sage
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Optional: ¼ to ½ c crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

For the butternut squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil or cooking spray.
2. Toss the squash with the olive oil and salt, and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.
3. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until tender, tossing after 10 minutes.

For the quinoa:

1. While the squash is roasting, prepare the quinoa according to the package directions, substituting stock/broth for water
2. In a bowl, combine the squash, quinoa, and remaining ingredients.
3. If desired, serve with goat cheese sprinkled on top.

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Enjoy!

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Tagged as: Butternut squash, Dinner, Gluten-free, pomegranate, quinoa, recipe, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian