I am CONSTANTLY asked how I survive the Holidays (especially Thanksgiving) with no meat, and I am completely honest when I say, "I don't miss it!" It's no secret that I love my side dishes... mac n' cheese, green been casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing... but when I feel inclined to pick a main dish for a holiday, a stuffed squash is an easy and simple solution.
The neutral base of roasted squash makes it the perfect vehicle for any of your favorite veggies and proteins of the moment. This savory squash features quinoa, red bell pepper, peas, and sweat and salty maple-tamari tempeh!
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
YIELD: 2 stuffed squashes
INGREDIENTS:
2 acorn squashes
1 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup frozen peas
olive oil for roasting
salt and pepper to taste
maple-tamari tempeh strips
Maple-Tamari Tempeh Strips:
2 tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
coconut oil for sautéing
DIRECTIONS:
1. Begin by heating the oven to 375 F. Chop tops off acorn squash and scoop out the insides. *You will also want to make a slight chop on the bottom, so they squashes lay flat.
2. Drizzle insides with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast insides facing down for 25-30 minutes or until tender.
3. Cook quinoa, if not already prepared. Chop onions, garlic and red bell pepper. Sauté in olive oil for 3-5 minutes or until mostly cooked. Add frozen peas and continue to stir until heated-through. Lastly, stir in cooked quinoa. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
4. Combine tamari and maple syrup in a dish and marinate tempeh for at least ten minutes. Cook tempeh on high heat in coconut oil. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until tempeh strips get crispy on the outside.
5. Fill cooked squashes with quinoa filling. Finish in oven for another 10 minutes.
We hope you enjoy this super, simple holiday recipe. I've found it to be a great base for many other ingredients. The squash below is stuffed with lentils, mushrooms, tempeh, and kale. And the squash on the right his filled with vegan sausage, apples, celery and onions. What will you fill your squashes with this year? |