Stuffed Butternut Squash

It is sad to say, but our farm share has ended for the season :(

I wanted to utilize everything we had from the farm share, so nothing goes bad or to waste. We had 2 bags of kale and 4 butternut squash, so I wanted to make sure they went to good use. I was craving an earthy flavor so quinoa and mushrooms felt like a good addition. I already had quinoa, so all I needed was mushrooms & broth which I got over the weekend. Then on Monday when we made dinner I roasted the squash, so the process would be quicker when I wanted to make the stuffed squash.

Since I made the squash earlier in the week, when I wanted to make my stuffed butternut squash all I had to do was I dig it out to make space for my filling.

Then I cooked the quinoa and sautéed the kale and mushrooms. After I mixed everything together to fill the squash. Lastly into the oven they went!

I have broken this cooking up into 4 steps, both the squash and quinoa could be prepared in advance. Whenever I make quinoa I make extra, I love adding to green veggies and having as a warm salad with a simple dressing.

This stuffed squash could easily be modified using another type of squash, a different grain or another mix of vegetables. If you like a more crispy texture you could add in breadcrumbs or even top with them at the end.

Have fun, making this your own way and comment below how you changed it up!

My simple recipe is below.

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

1 Butternut Squash

1 cup Quinoa

1 cup of Water

1 cup of Vegetable Broth

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup kale

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Part 1: Roast Squash (could be done in advance)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Slice butternut squash down the middle. Arrange squash, inside facing up, on a baking sheet.

3. Roast in the preheated oven until squash is tender and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Allow to cool enough to touch

Part 2: Cook Quinoa (could be done in advance - or could be replaced with another cooked grain) - Follow package instructions

1. Boil 1 cup of water and 1 cup of vegetable broth

2. Rinse the quinoa: Measure 1 cup of quinoa and place into a fine-mesh strainer. ...

3. Add quinoa to liquid and bring to a boil. Cook 10 to 15 minutes

Part 3: Cook other stuffing ingredients:

1. Slice and chop mushrooms

2. Remove kale from stems and rip into bit size pieces

3. Sauté mushrooms and kale over medium heat, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes

Part 4: Assemble & Roast

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Scope out middle to squash so there is a thin lined wall (about the width of a pepper)

3. Mix together cooked squash, mushrooms, kale & quinoa

4. Season with salt & pepper to taste

5. Fill squash with mixed ingredients

6. Roast in the preheated oven until topping is lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.