I’ve been getting such a kick out of following the VeganMoFo (Vegan Month of Food) blog. There are so many recipes on there that I absolutely have to try, but in the meantime, I thought I’d share a vegan favourite of my own.

This week’s CSA delivery included a beautiful Acorn Squash. When I placed the order, I did it with the intent of making a stuffed squash, but the one I received was so large that I decided to roast it instead with some quinoa.

I started off by washing and cutting the squash in half and then placed it face down in the pan along with about 3/4″ of water (this helps prevent any burning while the squash roasts). Be careful when you’re cutting squash – it can be tough, so make sure you pick a sharp knife. I placed this in the oven and allowed it to roast at 400F for 30 minutes.

While the squash was roasting, I switched gears and began preparing my quinoa. I sauteed one red onion, two celery stalks, two carrots and two cloves of garlic (all chopped fairly finely). Once the veggies had softened up, I added in one cup of quinoa and followed by 1.5 cups of water – brought the water to a boil, covered the pat, reduced the heat to a low simmer and left it on the stove for 15 minutes. After the cooking time was complete, I fluffed up the quinoa with a fork and then left it on the stove to stay warm.

By this time, the squash was ready, so I took it out of the oven, peeled it (which was easy to do, it practically just came off in my hands) and chopped it into chunks. I cooked the chopped squash and spigarello greens in my cast iron pan and added in some cinnamon (one or two shakes), salt and pepper and cayenne.

This meal took just over 30 minutes to make, but I managed to sneak in a quick post-workout shower while the quinoa simmered and the squash was roasting – talk about efficiency!

Such a hearty meal, perfect for the fall season…and perfect for VeganMoFo!