Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

In autumn, I could eat squash like ice cream.

Wait, that’s false. Squash is not like ice cream. It’s squash. Acorn squash, actually, is a winter squash, closely related to zucchini and yellow crookneck squash (RIGHT?!). But it is, indeed, buttery and delicious on its own.

Let me also preface this recipe by mentioning that I made this curried kale and quinoa dish to enjoy while watching the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES kick some Oklahoma City ass this past week. That’s right ladies. My old boys from the dirty south are tops in the league right now, and Memphians are geeking out like their 3rd-chair-trombone boyfriend just won homecoming king. “FINALLY THE WORLD UNDERSTANDS!”

So first preheat your oven to 350. Then work on your curry. Here’s what you’ll need:

1 acorn squash
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 an onion, chopped
1 tsp green curry paste
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 can coconut milk
1 cup chopped kale (or however much your body needs, depending upon your level of hangover. I mean what.)
1 cup cooked quinoa
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cumin
sriracha to taste (we’ll call this one “optional” though we know it’s not really “optional”)

Begin by sauteing the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes.

OH, but first you need to stick your squash in the oven, once its preheated. Slice the top off first, and save it for a rainy day. Scoop out any stringy parts or seeds in the cavity and stick that sucker in. If you are scared of squash, it being so vegetable-y and all, feel free to coat the inside with a thin layer of Earth Balance. But this really shouldn’t be necessary. Remember: ice cream.

Back to the curry. Once the onions/garlic are ready, add the spices - the paste and the curry powder, along with the cumin. Cook for a minute or so, until the paste gets bubbly. Add the chopped kale and cook 5 minutes. Finally, add the coconut milk and let simmer for 10 minutes, covered.

Once your squash is ready (it should roast for about 20 minutes total), remove it from the oven and scoop out a copious amount of the flesh, in order to fashion a bowl. Use this squash for a topping to your curry (or eat it NOW). Fill your bowl with the quinoa curry, dot with sriracha, and watch your homeboy Tony Allen do what he do.

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