A delicious dinner recipe perfect for cold weather. Roasted squash stuffed with turkey, quinoa, crisp apples, and dried cranberries. Sage and thyme round out this easy recipe.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush squash with 1 teaspoon oil and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Roast cut side down on a large baking sheet until tender, about 30 minutes. Flip and set aside.
In a large sauté pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cook until no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add onion and celery, and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining teaspoon salt and the quinoa and stir to combine. Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Add the turkey back to the pan along with the apple, cranberries, sage, and thyme. Cook on low heat to warm through. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the mixture evenly between the squash halves. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes to brown the tops. Serve warm.
Notes
You can cut the squash horizontally or vertically. The instructions and results are the same.
If you prefer a less crispy apple add to the quinoa with 5 to 7 minutes of cooking time left.