This earthy Moroccan quinoa gem squash is full of spicy flavors and is a delicious light lunch or side dish that goes well with roast meat.
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So it is Monday again. It is thát day again. We start work again after the weekend, feel a little blue and have a Meat-free day. So I compiled a little recipe for you that will brighten up your Monday-blues: Fragrant Moroccan quinoa gem squash. These little rounds of yellow, sunshine are filled with healthy, fluffy, quinoa, crunchy nuts and creamy feta cheese. The lemon and orange adds just the right amount of sweetness and zest. They work perfectly as a light lunch or dinner when served with a fresh green salad and flatbread. They are also the perfect side dish to roast chicken or pork chops. Quinoa is not just gluten-free but also packed with proteïn.
I usually cook quinoa in my pressure cooker for 13 minutes to speed things up a bit. Hence this recipe is a quick and easy one. Thanks to the addition of quinoa, this is also a super healthy dish. Quinoa contains lots of protein as well as all 9 of the amino acids. Furthermore, it is a awesome source of calcium, manganese, and magnesium. Quinoa is, therefore, a great vegetarian option. When you roast the gem squash, turn them face-down on the baking sheet to ensure that they roast evenly. This also ensures that they caramelize on the edges giving them a sweet, nutty taste.
If you enjoyed this post you might also enjoy:
Cobb salad with creamy ranch dressing
Chicken salad bowl with pear and cranberries
Roasted vegetables under phyllo pastry
Remember to like and share with all your friends and family. I would also love to hear from you in the comment section.
Moroccan quinoa gem squash1
Equipment
- Pressure cooker for preparing the quinoa
Ingredients
- 3 gem squashes halved
- 30 ml garlic-flavored olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 2 large pinches salt
- 1 orange's zest and juice
- 1 lemon's zest and juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 30 g wall-nuts
- 1 wheel feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200° C
- Season the gem squash with salt, drizzle the garlic-flavored olive oil over it and place face down on a baking sheet. When the oven is ready, insert into the oven and roast for 20 minutes
- Add the quinoa, water, and salt to the pressure cooker and cook on high for 20 min. When done release the pressure and open the lid. Let the quinoa cool down slightly.
- Add the remainder of the ingredients excluding the feta cheese to the quinoa and mix well.
- Add the feta and mint and mix gently
- Heat a frying pan and toast the nuts till they become slightly darker and release a nutty fragrance. Coarsely chop the toasted nuts and mix into the quinoa filling.
- Spoon the quinoa into the gem squash and fill it to the top. Garnish with extra feta cheese and mint.
