This is hands down one of our favorite cooler weather dinners, but you can easily make it any time of the year! It takes less than an hour, but it truly tastes like a gourmet meal. Best part? It’s completely plant-based and highly nutritious, not to mention satisfying. It’s in our rotation often, and it’s sure to be added to yours soon!
Ingredients (serves 2)
Dish
- 1 acorn squash
- ½ c tri-colored quinoa
- 1 red pear
- ¼ – ½ white onion (depending on preference and size)
- ¼ c pistachios
- ¼ c pomegranate seeds
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Maple Tahini Dressing
- Pure maple syrup
- Tahini
- Water
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice the acorn squash in half. Drizzle it with avocado oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the acorn squash halves face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook for 20 minutes. Then flip face up and bake about 20 minutes more.
- While the squash is baking, cook quinoa on the stovetop according to package directions.
- Next, slice the onion and pear into thin slices. Caramelize the onion on the stovetop in avocado oil.
- Then, add the pear slices and cinnamon to the same pan as the onion. Cook until slightly soft.
- While everything is cooking, shell the pistachios and remove the pomegranate seeds from the pomegranate.
- Once everything else is prepared, mix up the dressing ingredients into a bowl.
- Remove the squash from the oven, and fill halves with quinoa.
- Top with the caramelized onion, pear, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds.
- Drizzle with the maple tahini dressing, and sprinkle more salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy!
Let me know if you tried this incredibly delicious meal in the comments below or over on Instagram @haven_quinlan. I love to see your adaptations of my recipes, so let me know if you changed something up!
