Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash
Poem Pairing: Stuffed
Stuffed
We learn early
that life arrives like a list
that someone else wrote
Responsibilities first
heavy, unchosen, necessary
doors that must be opened on time
bills that return like unwanted guests
a calendar that fills itself
We try to hold steady
while things are put in our hands
faster than we can sort them
We learn patience
pressure reshapes us
waiting softens us
The world is not against us
some edges become structure
the beams holding us together
And somewhere along the way
what once felt like overflow
becomes meaning
The weight we resented
begins to look like proof
that we matter
We begin to see
we are not only carrying life
we are being filled by it
By the people who stay
by the work that matters
by love that arrives unannounced
And then we understand
what we once called too much
was not burden
It was abundance
Recipe and Shopping List:
Time to prepare: 1 hour
Serves: 2 people, as a side dish
1 acorn squash, cut in half (from stem to bottom), spoon out the seeds
1 cup cooked quinoa
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup feta cheese
2 scallions
Salt and pepper to taste
To cook the squash: Place the two halves, cut side down, into a large baking dish. Pour water into the dish, about halfway up the squash. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, at 400 degrees. Once done, move the halves to individual side dish bowls, right side up, and let sit for 5 minutes before building your dish.
To make the almonds: In a small sauté pan, add 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup sliced almonds, and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook over medium heat, turning often, until golden brown. Note: Almonds burn quickly. Pay careful attention and stir frequently. It’s best not to multi-task when roasting almonds.
Build your squash: With the cut side up, spoon quinoa into the center. Sprinkle half of the almonds, feta cheese, and scallions over each squash. Add salt and pepper to taste.
For a fun twist, drizzle hot honey over the squash for a sweet heat treat.
Recipe shopping list:
1 acorn squash
Quinoa, any kind
1 package of sliced almonds
Extra virgin olive oil
1 container of crumbled feta cheese
1 bunch of scallions
Hot honey, if desired
Yum!