Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries

This is a simple grain and vegetable recipe can be made regardless of your skill level in the kitchen.

6 servings

I love all the colors and the slight bite that the vinegar gives the dish. For a special touch when I’m having this as a main course, I like to top it with goat cheese. Any soft cheese would work!
Make it quick: If you are short on time you can buy frozen diced butternut squash that can be cooked in a fraction of the time it takes to cook fresh squash. Start with cooked quinoa and you can have this dish together in no time.

Ingredients

12 ounces butternut squash, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss squash, onion, sage and thyme with 2 T olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes.
Warm cooked quinoa and combine with cranberries and pecans.
Toss balsamic vinegar, 1 T olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Combine squash and quinoa mixture and toss with dressing.

Reprinted with permission from Wendy Polisi's The Quintessential Quinoa Cookbook (Skyhorse Publishing, 2012).

Nutritional Info (per serving)