Lately, our lives have consisted of us packing up almost every weekend and going somewhere, whether it’s for work, weddings, family, or just travel for fun. It’s been a crazy busy season and I still haven’t caught up from the holiday madness (I KNOW…it’s February….get it together, Christine)! You’re welcome to read this post about how I still have my Christmas tree up and how I’m dealing with it. Let’s just say it involves Healthy Chocolate Brownies. YEAH.
I don’t know about you, but when life is crazy like this, I basically resort to overnight oats, protein bars, and microwave dinners. While I really want to be devouring power bowls and healthy, fresh meals, I’m likely putting a frozen pizza in the oven! Which…let’s be honest…I also really want to be eating pizza. Always. So maybe I should actually say what I really SHOULD be devouring is healthy, fresh meals!
Thankfully, this Quinoa & Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is super easy to make!
It’s perfect for busy times of life, like the one I’m experiencing now! And with spring around the corner (YAY!!! I could NOT be more excited about that!), it’s the perfect time to load up on different types of winter squash before they go out of season.
After making this recipe, I realized that I just haven’t had enough acorn squash in my life. I’ve always sort of stayed in my winter squash comfort zone: sweet potatoes, pumpkin (canned, of course), spaghetti squash, and butternut squash. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on acorn squash this whole time!!! It tastes a lot like butternut squash, with a little bit of a nutty flavor. So good!
It’s also really easy to cut. I simply cut the tops and a little bit of the bottoms off (to help them stand upright), clean out the seeds in the middle, and bake!
If you’ve been afraid to branch out in your winter squash realm, this is a great one to start with! 🙂
Looking for an easy approach to preparing quinoa? Check out our post How To Cook Quinoa Perfectly Every Time.
Quinoa & Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 4 acorn squash
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 1/4 red onion, chopped
- 4 mini red pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut the tops and bottoms off of the acorn squash. Remove the seeds in the middle.
- Spray a baking sheet with oil and place the acorn squash on the baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes (or until the squash is soft).
- While the squash is baking, cook the quinoa according to directions.
- Once the quinoa is fully cooked, add the mushrooms, chopped onion, chopped red peppers, thyme, and garlic. Cook for about 7-10 minutes.
- Remove the squash from the oven and stuff with the quinoa mixture. Serve and enjoy!
Rebecca says:
Can any of this be made ahead of time? Like the day before & reheat the next day? Thinking as using for a main dish for my vegan son on thxgiving
Christine McMichael replied:
I would say that the entire meal could be made ahead of time and reheated, but I’m not totally sure how the acorn squash would turn out. Another option would be to make the quinoa/mushroom mixture in advance and have the squash ready heat up on the day of. I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Susan says:
Does this call for fresh garlic or garlic powder? Also thyme is it fresh or ground?
Christine McMichael replied:
I used garlic powder and ground thyme. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Susan! 🙂
Aimee says:
This dish is just plain beautiful! Acorn squash makes the perfect bowl. I placed this recipe on my meal plans for the week so I can’t wait to try it out.
Christine McMichael replied:
Thank you, Aimee! Enjoy the recipe! 🙂