Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Pinenuts and Dried Cherries

Ingredients

2 acorn squash

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1/2 cup dried cherries cut in half

Pine nuts (toasted)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 table spoons olive oil (1 for squash, 1 for dressing)

1/2 red onion diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Feta cheese (optional), I did not use it.
1 teaspoon butter (optional)

• Direction
• Wash and pat dry squash. Piece some 3-4 holes per squash with a sharp knife. On a paper towel, microwave squash 2 minutes, turn over and microwave 2 more minutes. At this point, the squashes should be soft enough to cut in half. Not this step is not mandatory if you are strong enough to cut the squash in half w/o it. Unfortunately,  I am not. Anyway, cut squash in half, scoop out and throw out the seeds.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush squash with a bit of oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper, roast face down for about 15-20 minutes till tender and caramelized. Towards the very end, add a little butter into the "cavity".
• In the meantime, rinse quinoa. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Heat a pan, add cooking spray, toast quinoa about 7 minutes, turning frequently. Remove from pan, set aside to cool.
• In the same pan, toast pine nuts, careful not to burn. 

Mix oil and red wine vinegar well. Toss quinoa w cherries, pine nuts and red onions. Add parsley and feta if you are using it.  Season w salt. Add quinoa to opening of the squash.  If you have extra quinoa, feel free to serve on the side.

This was an excellent vegetarian dinner, even meat loving husband now accepts quinoa as an adequate meat substitute.

•  

Adapted from http://www.wholeliving.com/150863/stuffed-acorn-squash-quinoa-and-pistachios and my very talented friend Marina Levin at http://make-meals.blogspot.com/