Quinoa and Kale Stuffed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1-2 teaspoons Driftless Sunflower Oil
- ¾ pound of thick cut bacon, cut into ~1-inch pieces (optional)
- 1 bunch of kale
- 2 cups cooked red quinoa
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ pound extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- A couple small yellow onions, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut squash lengthwise and remove seeds. Rub with sunflower oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 40 minutes or until the flesh is tender.
- Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, cook bacon until crispy over medium-high heat. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain…
- Reserve 1 teaspoon of the bacon grease and saute kale and onions in bacon grease over medium heat until wilted. (You can use olive or sunflower oil if you’d rather not cook with bacon fat).
- When squash is cooked through, remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375. Let squash cool slightly so it is cool enough to handle and then scoop out flesh, leaving a half-inch border around the edges. Place flesh of squash in a large bowl and mash up with a fork. Add quinoa, bacon, kale, nutmeg, cheese, and thyme. Mix until well combined.
- Return this mixture to hollowed out squash and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes and then cut into slices and serve.
