quinoa with roasted chanterelles, apples and squash

With Thanksgiving coming up next week I thought I’d share some of my favorite recipes and dishes with you all. This quinoa dish is a great substitute for traditional stuffing and as a bonus it’s completely vegan as well. We don’t really observe traditional Thanksgiving in our family and pick a different theme for dinner every year. I do miss my favorite pumpkin pie but it’s fun to explore different menus and dishes every year. It doesn’t really matter to me what we eat as long as we get to spend the day enjoying time spent with friends and family. Have a great holiday and consider trying something a little bit different this year!

Quinoa with roasted chanterelles, apples and squash

Ingredients:

½ pound chanterelles, cleaned, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup fresh thyme leaves

¼ cup fresh parsley

1 tart apple, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 small (about 1 pound ) sweet dumpling squash, seeded and cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic finely minced

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup quinoa

Method:

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the apples and squash on separate baking sheets, tossing each of them with a tablespoon of olive oil and a small handful of thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft and golden brown.

Repeat with the chanterelles tossing with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, a few sprigs of the thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 4 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook uncovered for 12 minutes, then drain the quinoa into a sieve and then place the sieve back over the pot, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it steam for 10 minutes, until fluffy and dry.

Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions have cooked down and are caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes then deglaze the pan with the vinegar and honey.

Add the quinoa to the onions along with the chanterelles, apples and squash tossing to combine the ingredients and let cook for a few minutes to heat everything through and let the flavors develop, top with the parsley and serve.