Winter Squash Stuffed with Quinoa, Kale and Pecans

I was excited to receive Black Forest squash in my CSA this week.  It's not one that I have tried, as far as I know.  And it's delicious!  Being the same size as a small pumpkin, I thought it would be perfect for stuffing with a healthy filling of quinoa, kale, and pecans.

Are you as happy to say hello to Winter and Fall veggies as I am? :)

Winter Squash Stuffed with Quinoa, Kale and Pecans

original recipe

Ingredients:

1 medium winter squash, cut in half, seeds removed
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup roughly chopped pecan halves
4 medium-sized kale leaves, ribs removed, roughly chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Put a little water in the bottom of a baking dish. (I used and 8" square glass pan.) Put each half, cut side up, in the dish. Cover with foil and place in oven for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and cook, lowering heat as necessary, until onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and keep cooking until both are golden. Add the pecans and cook for another minute or two, until pecans are toasted. Add the kale and a little water, if needed, to prevent sticking. Season well with salt and pepper. Let the kale cook until it wilts, but doesn't cook all the way. Add the quinoa and stir well. Remove from heat and keep warm until squash is ready. (The squash won't be all the way tender yet.)

Remove the squash from the oven. Be careful when pulling back the foil, so you don't get burned by any escaping steam. Fill each half with a good amount of the quinoa filling, mounding it a bit on top. (I had a little left over.)

Place back in oven for another 20 minutes, adding a little more water to the bottom of the pan, if needed. (You don't need to cover it this time.)

When the top of the filling has browned and squash is very tender (test with the tip of a knife), remove from oven and let cool a bit before serving.

Makes enough for 2 as a main dish, or 4 as a side.

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