Monday EAT: Quinoa-Chicken Sausage stuffed Acorn Squash with O2X EAT specialist AJ Fusco
Ingredients:
2 Acorn Squash
½ lb. Chicken Sausage
½ Apple, seeded and chopped
½ Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, diced
4 Sage Leaves, diced
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
3/4 Cup Dry Quinoa
3/4 Cup Shredded White Cheddar Cheese (reserve half for garnish)
Salt
Olive Oil
Procedure:
– Preheat oven to 400* F
– Trim both ends of the acorn squash off. Cut the squash in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh. Drizzle with EVOO and a pinch of salt
– Place squash on a foil lined sheet pan, cut side down. Roast for 25 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven
– While the squash is baking, cook the quinoa according to the package and brown the sausage in a drizzle of EVOO in a medium saute pan. Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked sausage and set aside in a bowl
– In the same pan, add the onions and saute until lightly browned. Add the apples and saute until the apples start to soften
– Add the garlic, sage and spices to the pan and cook until fragrant. Remove the onion-apple mixture and add it to the cooked sausage
– Add the cooked quinoa to the sausage mixture and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning
– Add half of the shredded cheddar to the mix and stir
– Place the cooked squash on the same sheet pan cut side up. Stuff with quinoa-sausage mix, top with more cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is browned
