Kale & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

This quinoa stuffed acorn squash is one of those recipes that makes me feel like a fancy chef, even though it’s super easy to make. For a vegan version you can omit the crumbled goat cheese (I just like to top it with a small handful for a little extra flavor) and replace the honey with maple syrup. You may also want to add a little extra olive oil and salt after roasting it until you get just the right amount of seasoning.

Acorn squash is packed with vitamins (Vitamin C especially) and quinoa is loaded with protein and fiber, and naturally gluten-free. It’s a perfect light, healthy dinner topped with flavorful dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and raw honey.

Kale & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free

Ingredients

1 acorn squash
3 cups kale, chopped
¾ cup cooked quinoa
2 tbsp sunflower or pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese (omit if vegan)
2 tsp raw honey (pure maple syrup for a vegan substitute)
1 tsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds and middle with a spoon.
Brush a layer of olive oil onto the flesh and season with sea salt and pepper.
Roast flesh side down for 20 minutes, then flip and roast flesh side up for another 30 minutes.
While squash is roasting, add ¼ cup quinoa to a pot with 2-3 cups of water and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is soft. Set aside.
Remove stems from kale and cook on a skillet with 1 cup water for about 15 minutes until water evaporates and kale is wilted and soft. Stir kale and quinoa together.
When squash is ready, remove from oven and scoop the quinoa and kale mix onto the squash.
Top with sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and crumbled goat cheese.
Drizzle with raw honey or maple syrup and season with additional sea salt and pepper.