Fall is my favorite time of the year. I look forward to getting up early Sunday morning then, going to the Farmer’s Market seeing mounds of squash stacked lovingly on the farmers tables to be sold.

Squash varieties include Queens Land Blue, Butternut, Tahitian, Delicata, Acorn, and Spaghetti to name a few. The Queens Land is the largest squash and tastes like a combination of pumpkin, butternut and acorn. It has the longest shelf life of any squash life lasting well up to over a year. The Butternut, a standard squash favorite, has a sweet and nutty flavor. The Tahitian is the Butternut’s big brother. It has a sweeter flavor and finer texture than it’s little brother. The Delicata tastes like a cross between a Yukon gold potato and a sweet potato, and has the shortest shelf life. When choosing a Delicata make sure to get a fully ripe one by looking for orange, not green stripes. The Acorn is another standard with a not so sweet flavor and grainy texture. The Spaghetti has a mild, buttery taste and texture like spaghetti, hence, the name.

Their vibrant orange color defines them as “Superfoods”, because they have a high nutritional value containing powerful plant chemicals or phytochemicals, such as antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and betacarotine (very good for your eyes). Phytochemicals along with their high fiber content are vital in the prevention of heart disease, cancer (especially colon cancer), and diabetes. 

Ingredients

2 acorn squash (this is great substituted with kabocha squash too)

1 cup red quinoa

1 ½ cup water

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. fresh ground pepper

½ medium red onion, finely diced

1 cup kale

½ cup dried berries

½ cup diced apples

½ cup almonds, pecans, or other nuts

VINEGARETTE

1 T. maple syrup

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut squash in half, place them cut side down in a baking dish filled with 1/2 inch of water. Bake for 40 minutes or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, add quinoa, and spices to a pan. Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes.
3. Mix all vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl and wisk until well incorporated.
4. Add kale, red onion, dried cranberries, apples, maple syrup and nuts to the quinoa. Pour vinaigrette over quinoa. Gently mix with big spoon until well coated.
5. Remove squash from the oven, turn them right side up, and brush edges with olive oil. Fill each half with the quinoa mixture and return to the oven for about 10 minutes more. The squash should be tender and easily pierced with a fork.

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