In carrying on with another Thanksgiving side, this one has a lot of hidden flavors and textures. The quinoa adds a healthy whole grain along with protein and fiber. In general, this dish is pretty healthy and very filling. The squash and cranberries are sweet and I mix in a vinaigrette to give it a savory flavor. Together it’s delicious and a wonderful fall side. I use Ocean Spray dried cranberries in this dish so there’s no hassle with washing or cooking down cranberries.

When roasting the butternut squash, make sure it browns a little so it adds a little crunch and oven baked flavor. The colors of this dish are so beautiful!

Squash and Quinoa with Cranberries

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a butternut squash: peeled, deseeded and cubed
• 2 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2-3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup jalapeños, deseeded and chopped small

For the vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs Greek Vinaigrette (or Balsamic)
• 1 tbs honey
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Recipe

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• While that’s preheating, grab a baking sheet and cover the sheet with aluminum foil. It makes clean up a little easier.
• Assemble the cubed butternut squash in a single layer on top of the foil.
• Drizzle the 2 tbs of olive oil on top and move around a little so all of the squash pieces are coated.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste on the squash.
• Put them in the preheated oven for 25 -30 minutes (until they’re roasted and a little brown).
• While that’s roasting, that’s the time to make your quinoa. Make the quinoa as directed on the package to make the “2 cups cooked” noted above.
• Remove the quinoa from the stovetop to cool.
• Remove the butternut squash from the oven once done and set aside to cool.
• While those are cooling, make the vinaigrette by adding the oil, vinaigrette, garlic, honey and mustard to a mixing cup.
• In a large bowl, add the squash, quinoa, cranberries and jalapeños.
• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top and gently stir until it’s all mixed together.
• Refrigerate since this should be served cold.
• When it’s time to eat, pour the mixture into your serving dish.
• Enjoy!

XO, Rachel