I love fall with its stews and earthy flavors. I am particularly fond of mushrooms of all sorts. Obviously, button, crimini, and portobello mushrooms will be the easiest to find. But I also love porcinis and chanterelles and any other mushrooms you can get your hands on.

Serves 4 as a main dish, 12 as a side.

Ingredients

  • 2 Acorn Squash

  • Assorted Mushrooms - 1 lb trimmed and diced

  • Onion, diced - 8 oz

  • Celery, diced - 4 oz

  • Parsley, ½ bunch, minced

  • 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

  • ⅓ cup Dry Quinoa

  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the squash in half longitudinally. Seed the squash and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for approximately 40 minutes. You will know they are done when the flesh yields easily to a spoon.

  2. Boil ⅔ cups of water with salt and add the 1/3rd cup quinoa. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or according to instructions.

  3. While the acorn squash is roasting, sauté the onions and celery in 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. After about 10 minutes, add the mushrooms and sauté for another 10 minutes.

  4. Add the garlic and parsley. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and add the salt and pepper.

  5. Salt the inside of the acorn squash lightly.  Combine the quinoa with 8 ounces of mushrooms and stuff the 4 halves. 

  6. Reheat before serving and garnish with chopped parsley.

Tips

This recipe is vegetarian. Each half is an entree for 1. But you can also divide each half into thirds and get 12 nice vegetable sides.