Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Cranberries
Nutrition per serving
Protein per 100 kcal: 2.3g · Energy from macros: 9% protein / 57% carbs / 34% fat
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 60g dried cranberries
- 60g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 60g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp dried sage, salt and black pepper
Instructions
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush the squash halves with half the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place them cut-side down on a baking tray. Roast for 25 minutes until just tender.
Meanwhile, simmer the rinsed quinoa in the vegetable broth for 15 minutes until fluffy, then let it rest for 5 minutes and fluff it with a fork.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan and cook the onion and celery for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Stir the cooked quinoa, cranberries, walnuts, feta, maple syrup, cinnamon and sage into the pan and season to taste.
Turn the squash halves cut-side up, fill each one generously with the quinoa mixture, cover loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes more.
Serve warm, with extra cranberries and walnuts scattered over the top if you like.
This baked stuffed acorn squash is a cosy autumn dinner — sweet roasted squash halves filled with fluffy quinoa, tart dried cranberries, crunchy walnuts and salty feta, with a hint of cinnamon and sage. Each serving has about 525 calories and 12g of protein, and it is hearty enough to help with healthy weight gain without feeling heavy. It looks impressive on the table but takes only 15 minutes of hands-on prep.
