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Oh my, just made this tonight for dinner! So delicious. All the flavors came together perfectly. Love your blog and can’t wait to make more recipes. The leftovers are already in the fridge and ready for lunch tomorrow. THANKS for sharing!
Alexis
There is about to be a party in your mouth.
Toasted pecans, fresh spinach, cool cilantro, brown sugar, curry, cinnamon, and white bean hummus. What in the world are you supposed to call all that amazingness?
Spicy-Sweet Quinoa Squash Bowl, according to my Overdosed Sugar brain.
Rational brain tells me to eat this for the next year to make up for the 4 sticks of butter that I was involved with this weekend.
And I have no problem with that because this. is. yummy.
So yummy that I’m already dreaming of my lunch, when I will eat the leftovers with a jumbo spoonful of white bean hummus. Oh, that white bean hummus. It’s like a dreamy creamy creamed cream sauce, without the cream and without the guilt (angels singing).
Rational brain also tells me that more more more of this spicy-sweet squash bowl is good for me.
Wishful brain tells me that I don’t have to work out today.
And Sugar Overdosed brain says I shouldn’t be writing a post after 28 Christmas cookies.
Spicy-Sweet Squash Bowl
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This spicy sweet quinoa squash bowl is a delicious vegetarian entree that includes fresh spinach, hummus, butternut squash, pecans, and quinoa.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa (+ vegetable stock, optional)
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for mild spice)
- 2 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup toasted pecan pieces
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to directions, using vegetable stock for half of the water (optional) and adding 2 teaspoons curry and brown sugar to the pot before cooking.
- Coat squash with olive oil, white sugar, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon curry, and salt to taste. Roast in a 400 degree oven or in skillet until golden brown and fork-tender.
- Add squash, cilantro and spinach to the cooked quinoa and toss gently to combine. Top each bowl with pecans and white bean hummus.
Notes
For the white bean hummus, puree 1 can white cannellini beans, 1/4 cup vegetable stock, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 clove garlic, and salt/pepper to taste.
Nutritional information does not include the hummus.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: spicy sweet squash bowl, squash bowl, sweet squash bowl
Holy yummy. Holy healthy. Happy Holidays.
PS. I’d love for you to share your good ideas – what do you eat to stay healthy this time of year?
Ooooh! WOW! So gonna make this – and soon! (Like tomorrow, when DH is home for dinner. :)) TFS! 😀
What do I eat to stay healthy? Uhm… Well, lots of veggies. Butternut pumpkin is my current obsession. I roast it in the oven for about 20 minutes until it’s tender, and then I just mix it with a bunch of veggies that are sautéed in alittle bit of olive oil and toss in chickpeas and curry paste. It’s always different – and always good!
Kale is lovely this time of the year, too – and kale soup is deeeelish!
What else? Wheat grains (in Sweden we call them “food wheats” but I don’t knwo what they’re called over there…? Just the grain, cooked.) are a sdtaple, too. I cook a bunch and put in the fridge. Just toss into a pan or the oven with some olive oil and veggies and let them get golden – and you’re golden too! 😉
(I do that with spelt, too.)
Lots of soups going on here, as well – and in between, we get the occasional take out – and usually sushi because… well – I just love it! 🙂
Have a wonderful day – and thank for for constantly inspiring me!
Thanks for all the good ideas, Zarah!
This looks like such a delicious mouthful that won’t sit in your stomach like a brick. I’m really liking the cilantro in there, too, to brighten up the curry.
I’ve always been a cilantro lover. Or obsesser. 🙂
This is so lovely. I can’t wait to try!
This dish is massaging my heart.
Oh, Bev. You’re hilarious. 🙂
THis sounds wonderful! I’ve got some quinoa ready-to-go in my fridge!
That’s a good idea. I should keep quinoa ready to go in my fridge.
I think you just decided what’s for lunch today. Always looking for new winter squash recipes.
Now.. to grow some of my own! 🙂
Mmm, that looks fantastic. Love the colors! I even still have squash waiting to be used up, and this looks like a yummy way to do that. I know exactly what you mean about eating healthy this time of year! Mostly, I just try to have healthy leftovers in the fridge at all times, something like this would be good, or soup or just something easy and reheatable so when I’m hungry and looking for food I don’t opt for the cookies in the cupboard or on the counter, haha. And if there are no leftovers, roasted veggies are awesome, so easy and satisfying!
Mmmm roasted veggies are my favorite, too!
I adored spicy/sweet/smoky squash dishes like this! The addition of cilantro is lovely!
I tend to get a little heavy handed with the cilantro. It’s just so fresh tasting! 🙂
the colors in this are gorgeous! nothing like eating the rainbow to feel healthy 🙂
I know! it is … was…. so colorful! I loved it.
I have tried quinoa several times and have not been much of a fan. But I want to like it because it is healthy and good for you and maybe if I ate it that would be a free pass to indulge in an extra cookie or three. I really like spicy-sweet so this looks like a good thing to try! I’m trying to eat healthier, more filling breakfasts to stay healthy. With coffee. Always coffee.
I am not a huge lover, either, to be honest. But put a little hummus on there and all of a sudden it’s creamy and wonderful.
This looks terrific. I cannot wait to try it. Be sure to pop over today. We have an awesome giveaway just in time for Christmas. Register to win an autographed book!
Looks great, Linds!
P.S. Do you have a food processor? If so, what kind??
I do! It’s a Krups mini-chopper. https://www.krups.com/All+Products/Mini-Chopper/Products/GVA2/GVA2.htm
Yum! This dish looks like it would be right up my alley!
Yep – these types of recipes do come around every once in a while. 🙂
This time of year I like to eat roasted veggies and hearty soups. The occasional long-braised meat seems to fit in nicely as well! This looks fantastic!
Thanks! I love roasted veggies too!
This looks delicious. My kids are so NOT into squash. I’ll have to save it for when it’s just me and my hubby . . . I certainly need it – I have NOT been eating to stay healthy lately. Saturday I ate a half pound of bacon for breakfast. . . . by myself. Then followed it with 4 cookies for lunch. Last night I ate candy for dinner as I was putting together Christmas packages. . . . Oh, how my body needs something like this spicy-sweet squash bowl!
My weekend was the same way. So yesterday I ate healthy, and today I’m back to my old cookie-loving ways. 🙂
Oh I absolutely love this recipe.Will definitely be making this soon.Its looks so yummy and colorful.Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Hope you like it.
Love, love, love this. Over the past two years, squash has become my go-to root vegetable. From cream sauces to roasting it with other veggies, I ADORE squash. I’ll definitely have to try out this recipe. xo
Me too! It’s so versatile.
I am a Paleo chef, and sometimes look outside the “STRICT” paleo to see whats cooking. Also some people would be 100% ok with such little sugar and call it paleo approved anyway 🙂 Nice!
To stay healthy around holidays, I roast vegetables and potatoes almost every other day. It’s so satisfying and filling. I like to spice them up with tons of pepper, salt, and oregano and drizzle a little olive oil then just pop it in the oven for an hour or so and then I have a delicious and beautiful side (or snack)
I’m with ya! I especially love roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli. Mmm!
I stumbled upon this the today on Pinterest and wanted to make it. I had all the ingredients except the squash, so I substituted sweet potato instead. OMGoodness, what a delicious meal. I am working really hard on portion control right now and I just wanted to keep eating and eating it! Thank you SO much for sharing!!!
Glad you liked it Dana! I LOVE putting the hummus on top. Yummy!
Oh my, just made this tonight for dinner! So delicious. All the flavors came together perfectly. Love your blog and can’t wait to make more recipes. The leftovers are already in the fridge and ready for lunch tomorrow. THANKS for sharing!
Thanks Alexis! Glad you liked it!
Please don’t judge me, but I just don’t like quinoa. Is there something else I can use instead that will be equally tasty? Thanks for all of your creative and yummy food.
Funny – I just did a post about not liking quinoa. Try wheat berries! They’re my new thing.