If ever there was a recipe that screamed fall flavors, it’s this recipe. Acorn squash is a beautiful ingredient that is underutilized, but this recipe makes it the star of the show. This recipe is wonderfully filling and replete with a beautiful combination of flavors and textures.
- Prep Time:15m
- Cook Time:45m
- Total Time:1h
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Entrees, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. tahini
- 2 tsp. grade A maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
For the Squash and Apples
- 3 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp. grade A maple syrup
- 2 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 2 apples, cored and thinly sliced
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
For the Kale and Quinoa
- 3 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 c uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 c water
- 5 c kale, chopped and thick stems removed
- 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the dressing into a jar and set aside. If you have leftover dressing it will keep fresh in the fridge for up to one week.
For the Squash and Apples
- Preheat your oven to 400º F. Warm the coconut oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and add the maple syrup and cayenne, stirring until the ingredients are fully combined. Remove from the heat
- Remove the ends of the acorn squash and slice each squash into about half-inch thick rounds. Make sure you use a sharp knife and remove the seeds once you finish cutting.
- Place the squash rounds on two large baking sheets. Drizzle the coconut oil mixture evenly over the squash rounds and bake the squash for 30-40 minutes, flipping them halfway through the baking time. Remove them once they are fork tender.
- About 10 minutes before the squash is done cooking, remove the pans from the oven and throw the apple slices on each pan. Insert back in the oven and finish cooking.
For the Kale and Quinoa
- While the squash is cooking in the oven, warm 2 tsp of coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the quinoa once the oil is hot and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour the water in the pot, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, but keep the quinoa covered.
- About 10 minutes before the squash is finished cooking, warm one teaspoon of coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once it melts, add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, and then add the kale. Toss frequently for about 3-5 minutes.
- Spoon the quinoa into the pan with the kale and cook for a couple minutes, seasoning with sea salt and pepper as necessary. Add lemon juice during the last 30 seconds of cooking. Remove from heat.
- Spoon the quinoa and kale mixture onto a plate and place the squash rings on top of the quinoa. Drizzle the tahini dressing all over and dig in!
