Butternut Squash With Mushroom and Quinoa

Whether it’s the colorful twinkling lights that cover houses or the look of the first snowfall, there is something about winter that is so comforting.

I take great pleasure in the wonderful smells that are associated with this season. For instance, the aromatic smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Ingredients like these seem to instantly enliven my senses and stimulate nostalgic feelings of past holiday gatherings. Warm, “good for the soul” food is another aspect of winter that I love so very much.

Each season inspires me to create new dishes, so nevertheless, I knew I had to share some of my favorite winter dishes with you! This season I wanted to have the ability to create fresh, organic dishes that could uplift my body. In June, I made the decision to create my own “personal garden.” My dad and I headed to a nearby nursery and chose some organic seeds that would eventually sprout in the late autumn months. I selected vegetables that I knew would satisfy my palette during the colder months. Among my choices were butternut squash, Cubanelle peppers, beefsteak tomatoes and basil.

My garden is nothing extraordinary, and I hope to accumulate more plants throughout the year, but for now I am satisfied. However I did come across some difficulties. Not all my tomatoes grew to their peak and my squash failed to sprout entirely! I am assuming this was because I did not use the correct size pots.

I ultimately ended up using some vegetables from Whole Foods to create an amazing butternut squash dish. In the future I will make sure I am more prepared!

Please Enjoy this Recipe!

Butternut Squash with Mushroom and Quinoa

Ingredients:

For the Squash:

16-20 oz butternut squash

2/3-cup olive oil

1 clove garlic crushed

2 T fresh thyme

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

For the mushrooms:

2 cups mixed mushrooms

2 tbsp fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3-cup olive oil

In addition…

¾ cup Quinoa

A little fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Peel the squash, quarter, and remove seeds
2. Cut the pulp into 3/4 chunks
3. In a bowl, mix all the other ingredients and pour over the squash cubes. Stir completely.
4. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and arrange the squash on it
5. Bake the cubes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until the edges turn dark.
6. While the squash is baking, cook the quinoa in a pot of boiling water. Rinse in cool water.
7. Wipe the mushrooms with a towel (do not use water) and roughly cut them into pieces and cook them in a pan with olive oil until they turn golden. (About 15 Minutes) 
8. Season the mushrooms with all the ingredients on the list for the mushrooms
9. When finished, allow the mushrooms to cool
10. Finally, when all the ingredients are done, they can be transferred into the pan on the stove (Including any liquid from the mushrooms) Season with some fresh thyme.