Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash Rings

The quinoa recipes works with apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, onions, and sage.These squash rings make a wonderful main dish for vegetarian. They also make a great appetizer recipes dish for the meat eaters. No one is going to add a ginormous squash half to his or her plate on top of turkey and all the sides, but a squash ring is a different story. Everyone has room for a squash ring!

Ingredients:

olive oil mister or cooking spray

1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed thoroughly

1 c. vegetable broth

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 apple, cored and diced

1/2 c. shredded sharp, aged or smoked cheddar cheese

1/4 c. dried cranberries

2 tbsp. chopped sage

2 tbsp. chopped walnuts

salt + pepper to taste

1 egg, whisked

3 small acorn or sweet dumpling squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices (remove seeds & guts)

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tbsp. maple syrup

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray two rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray or oil and place squash rings on sheets.

Cook quinoa in broth according to package directions. Cool slightly.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion. Cook about 10 minutes, or until onion is just beginning to brown. Add apple and cook about 5 minutes more, until apple is softened. Allow to cool slightly.

Combine quinoa, apple and onion mixture, cheese, cranberries, sage, and walnuts in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in egg.

In a small bowl, combine butter and maple syrup. Brush tops and insides of squash rings with butter mixture; season with salt and pepper.

Stuff quinoa filling into the center of each squash ring, pressing down to fit as much stuffing as possible without overflowing. Spray centers of squash rings with oil or cooking spray. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and squash is tender.

Vegetable Quinoa Pilaf

Quinoa is the seed of a leafy plant native to South America. Quinoa is a delicate flavored, rice-like grain that is a rich source of protein. A delicious and easy quinoa recipes. Serve with a salad and crusty bread for a complete healthy meals.

Ingredients:

4 cups salt-reduced vegetable stock
2 cups (350g) quinoa (see note)
Olive oil cooking spray
2 medium red capsicums, roughly chopped
1 medium eggplant, roughly chopped
2 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1/3 cup lemon juice
Fresh oregano leaves, to serve


Preparation:
Place stock and quinoa in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat. Set aside, covered for 10 minutes.

Spray a heavy-based saucepan with oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add capsicum and eggplant. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until beginning to soften. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until softened. Add zucchini, onion and oregano. Toss to combine. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Add zucchini mixture and lemon juice to quinoa. Toss to combine. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with oregano.