The best veggie side dish you will ever make for any holiday!
In our family, there are tons of food issues. In addition to food allergies such as nuts, peanuts and eggs, I also have a vegetarian daughter, carnivorous men, not to mention a cholesterol and low sodium father in law. Thanksgiving, Passover and Rosh Hashanah can be challenging. Nevertheless, my motto these days is to keep things simple. The fact is, I typically make the same favorites all year because...people like it and it makes things far less stressful for the cook. This jeweled quinoa is a hit every-time-even for the pickiest eaters. It's full of color and flavor and you can't mess it up. Promise. It's so easy, packed with nutrition and is sure to please. For those who eat quinoa on Passover, I assure you this dish is usually gone by first seder, so make plenty of extra!
PS-I made this for a cooking demo and it was GONE by lunchtime.
Servings-6
Prep time-15 mins
Cook Time-30 mins
Total Time-45 mins
Ingredients
1 2lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 3 cups-you can buy this pre-done in the grocery store)
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
zest of one small orange
2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
2/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (toasted optional)
Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees-Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash, onion and oil and toss till evenly coated.
2. Spread out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Season generously with
salt and pepper.
3. Roast for 30 minutes, or until soft and cooked and the edges begin to slightly brown.
4. Remove baking sheet from oven and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, in a 2 qt. pot stir together quinoa, broth (or water), and orange zest, and cook according to package instructions.
6. Add the squash, onion, quinoa, spinach, cranberries and pumpkin seeds to a large mixing
bowl, and combine gently. Season with additional salt and pepper if need be. Serve
immediately. If making ahead of time, store in refrigerator and reheat.
Nutritional Breakdown
Calories-295.5
Total Fat-12.2g Carbohydrate-43.2g
Fiber-7.8g
Sugar-14.0g
Protein-4.0g“