Quinoa with Maple Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale, Dried Cranberries, and Pine Nuts

Last night I made this scrumptious dish for girls night, where I had Raquel, the most special sous chef on board to help out. In the crew of girls there was a case of gastritis and a non-onion lover, so I had a few things to consider while planning the meal. Cue the recipe...

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water

Dash of Salt and pepper

1 butternut squash, cut into small cubes

2-3 tbsp. maple syrup*

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. fresh pepper

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

5-6 pieces of Kale, cut into small thin strips

Two handfuls of toasted pine nuts**

Two handfuls of dried cranberries

*More watery versions are better for the syrup will easily disperse among all the squash, being "calorie effective." Also, sugar free syrup can be substituted.
** These days, at $24.99/lb pine nuts seems to be almost as expensive as gold. How do I afford the caviar of nuts on an unemployed budget? Whole foods has a section of bulk commodity items- you know, the "no nibbling" section- where you can purchase the two handfuls (but please use the spoon!) required for this recipe for about $1.50.

Procedure:

Marinate cut butternut squash with oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & pepper, put it on a tray and roast in the oven on 425 for about 20-30 minutes until tender. If using pre-cut butternut squash bought in the store (totally fine, great time saver and it's still a fresh veggie!), I would suggest marinating the squash earlier in the day and letting it sit in the fridge for about 2 hours so the squash will better absorb the flavors.

While the squash is roasting, bring the quinoa in water to a boil on the stove, add salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.

While the quinoa is simmering, take the large stems off the kale and begin to cut the leaves into thin strips. Right after the quinoa is done turn off the stovetop flame, mix the kale into the quinoa pot and cover, so that the kale can be steamed and softened. Let that sit for about 5 minutes, then uncover and let it cool down a tad.

Mix in the roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts, add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy! Serves 4. (Can be served cold or hot).

NOTE: Caramelized red onions can be added to this recipe for more hearty flavor and color. Also, you can substitute citrus roasted butternut squash for the maple roasted butternut squash, by roasting with some zest and acid of a lemon or orange.

...That's all as far as the recipe goes. Phewww, writing a recipe proved more difficult than I had anticipated. When I cook, I don't use measuring spoons or anything of the sort, so please please feel free to edit amounts of ingredients. Play around with it and hopefully you will enjoy cooking just as much as I do!