Recipe by: Food Fanatic
INGREDIENTS
- 1 small butternut squash cut into cubes
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/3 cup chopped scallions
- 1/2 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup feta cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
- salt and pepper
- Pomegranate molasses
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
- mixing bowl
- baking sheet and tray
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 185 Celsius. Drizzle the squash cubes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle them evenly with salt and pepper. Place the cubes on a baking sheet in the oven and let them roast for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on them and stir them occasionally.
Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a saucepan and toast the quinoa over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring, so it won't get burnt. Stir in the chicken or vegetable stock and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once that is done, turn down the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove the pan off the heat once the quinoa absorbed all the water. Let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes before transferring it all to a large serving bowl.
Once your squash cubes are ready fold them in gently with the quinoa. Add parsley, scallions, pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, and pomegranate seeds to finish off this flavor bomb. Season with salt and pepper to taste and finally, drizzle the mixture with the pomegranate molasses.
COACHES CORNER
- You can replace butternut squash with sweet potatoes.
- Do not worry, if you cannot find pomegranate molasses. Use some balsamic glaze or save some calories for the dessert and skip the dressing entirely. This salad is delicious on it's own.
- This salad will stay fresh in the fridge for about 2 days, just make sure to store the dressing in a separate container.
