a post about food

So B and I made an awesome dinner last night. The quinoa was so good that I ate left overs tonight for dinner even without the salmon.  I am really becoming a fan of quinoa... it is really healthy - lots of protein and quite delicious in lots of recipes. 

Anyway, this photo and my leftovers photo got lots of praise so I thought I would do the right thing and post the recipe for the quinoa here on the old blog.  Trust me it is worth the time to make it - it is fantastic :-)


So without further ado, I present: 

Quinoa with Butternut Squash Spinach and Dried Cranberries

	olive oil spray
3	cups (1/2 large) butternut squash diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1	tsp salt
1/2	tsp black pepper
1	shallot diced
1	garlic clove pressed
2	tbsp olive oil
2	cups washed spinach
1/2	cup dried cranberries
1/4	cup toasted pecans or walnuts
3	cups cooked quinoa

Instructions:

First you have to roast the butternut squash:

- Preheat oven to 350 F

- Line baking sheet with aluminum foil or silpat

- Lay out squash and spray evenly with olive oil

- Season with salt and pepper

- Bake until tender for 30-40 minutes.

Next you need to cook the quinoa:

- Rinse 1 cup dry quinoa briefly by placing in a fine mesh sieve and running under cold water

- When all water is drained heat about a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add quinoa, toast until golden 

- Add 2 cups of liquid (I used chicken stock but veg stock would also work or even water although I think using stock adds more flavor) to the quinoa and bring to a boil

- Once liquid comes to a boil reduce heat and cover, simmer until all liquid is absorbed and then fluff with a fork

Finally you just put everything together:

- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook shallots and garlic for 3-4 minutes until shallots become translucent

- Add spinach and cook for 2-3 more minutes

- In the same pan (or in a bowl) add roasted butternut squash, cranberries, and quinoa (if you have let the squash sit and it is no longer warm I recommend adding it back into the pan rather than a bowl to re-heat it)

- Stir to combine and top with toasted pecans or walnuts (if that is your style... personally I left the nuts off of mine as I am not a huge fan of them)

And that's it!  You have now made a most delicious side dish (or entree depending on how hungry you are).