Quinoa Salad Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 4 acorn squash
• Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
• 1 shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1 apple, diced
• ¼ cups chopped toasted pecans
• ¼ cup cranberries and/or pomegranate seeds
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• optional: Maple Tahini Sauce from this recipe

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice each acorn squash in half and drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on the baking sheet. Roast until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes depending on the size of the squash. Halfway through, flip the squash so that it's facing cut side up.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients - the olive oil, shallot, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, quinoa, spinach, parsley, apple, pecans, and cranberries - and mix well. Season to taste.
3. Fill the acorn squash halves with the salad and drizzle each with olive oil, or serve with tahini sauce, if desired.