Curry Kick: Stuffed Squash

Confession: I've never eaten an acorn squash. I've had other squashes, such as butternut and spaghetti, but never acorn. So, when I saw it at Trader Joe's for an excellent price, I grabbed the biggest one I could find. Tonight I knew I wanted to crack it open, but I didn't know what to do with it. I heard that roasting it with maple syrup was great, but I wanted something a little outside the box. In true Indian Wednesday fashion, I made something with a little curry kick.


Curry quinoa stuffed acorn squash
Ingredients
- 1/2 large acorn squash (reserve seeds)
- 1 tsp olive oil + more for drizzling

- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup water + 2 tbsp
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup frozen peas
- Reserved acorn squash seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- S&P, to taste

Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Cut acorn squash in half using a very sharp, stable knife. Scoop out insides and set aside.
- Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil on acorn squash half and season lightly with S&P. Roast for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
- Clean the seeds, removing as much pulp as possible, toss them in S&P and a tiny drizzle of olive oil (or non-stick spray) and roast them in the oven with the squash for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
- While squash cooks, prepare quinoa. Add quinoa, curry powder and a pinch of salt to water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the curry. Once boiling, turn to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- In a skillet, saute onions and garlic on medium heat until translucent and soft. Add peas and 2 tbsp water and cook until peas are heated through. Turn on low and stir in quinoa and toasted squash seeds.
- Once squash is cooked, add about 3/4 cup of the quinoa mixture to the cavity, drizzle with olive oil and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Store the rest of the curry quinoa for lunch the next day!




Aside from battling the squash and almost losing my hand in the process, this recipe was a complete success. The acorn squash was roasted perfectly; it was sweet, tender and melted in my mouth. That combined with the aromatic, slightly spicy curry made for a truly delectable contrast. This dish isn't too spicy, but has just enough kick to elevate the flavor of the squash. Now I can't wait to experiment with the other half!

In other, personal news: Today I switched my major from English to Nutrition. This is a HUGE change for me and I'm essentially starting college from scratch. I'm scared, I know it will be incredibly difficult (especially since science doesn't come easy for me), but I'm so, so excited to begin this journey. I don't think any other career will make me happier. :)