INGREDIENTS

2 acorn squashes, cut in half
sea salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

FILLING INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 diced red onion
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh sage (if you have it, otherwise dried sage is fine)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups kale leaves, chopped
3/4 cups roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice the acorn squashes in half and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle on some sea salt and black pepper. Place squash halves in a roasting pan, cut side up, and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your filling. Chop the onion into small pieces and fry them in a bit of olive oil on your stovetop for about 5 minutes. After they become translucent, add the kale and fry for another 1-2 minutes until the kale wilts a bit.

Pour in the vegetable broth, then add the quinoa, sea salt, black pepper, sage, and thyme. Turn down the heat and cover the pan. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the quinoa softens. You can check periodically to make sure the broth isn’t absorbed too quickly. If so, just add a couple more splashes and re-cover the pan.

Stir in the dried cranberries and roasted hazelnuts and remove the pan from your stovetop. If your squash halves are nice and soft, remove them from your oven, as well.

Using a large spoon, scoop the mixture into your squash halves. It’s okay if it overflows a little. Place the pan back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and serve piping hot!

Makes 4-6 servings, depending on appetite. If you’re not super hungry, you can cut one of the squash pieces in half. If you’re ravenous, you can probably eat an entire half by yourself, maybe with a side salad. You can always store leftovers in your refrigerator for a couple of days, and re-heat when you’re hungry again.

No matter what you choose, happy feasting!