Acorn Squash Stuffed with Southwestern Quinoa
A hearty-yet-meatless fall dinner of acorn squash stuffed with spicy quinoa with black beans, corn, and cilantro and topped with melted cheese.
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 of a red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 of a jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (more or less, to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- salt to taste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn (fresh, frozen or canned/drained)
- 1 cup steamed quinoa
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup grated colby jack cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Pierce the acorn squash with a fork several times. Place the squash onto a sheet pan and roast whole until fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before handling.
Increase oven temp to broil.
While the squash is cooling, heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook the onions and jalapenos for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir in the black beans, corn, and quinoa and heat through. Toss in the fresh cilantro and taste for seasoning, adding more salt as needed.
Slice the squash in half length-wise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Fill the halves with large scoops of the black bean and quinoa filling. Top with cheese and return to the oven on broil for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with additional cilantro and serve promptly.