Butternut Squash, Kale and Apple Quinoa

Quinoa has been my recent Summertime staple. So when I had to make a quick dinner before lunch quinoa was the simple, easy solution. In this case, I wanted to add a little Autumn flair.

Butternut Squash, Kale and Apple Quinoa

1 cup quinoa
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1 cup water
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 handfuls of purple kale, destemmed and torn into bite sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 granny smith apple, cubed

Cook quinoa on medium high heat in a small pot or sauce pan with the water and beef broth. Cook according to package instructions.

Meanwhile in a medium saute pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat and add butternut squash. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until butternut squash starts to caramelize. Add kale, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute until kale is crisp and squash is tender. Combine quinoa and vegetables in a large bowl and add fresh apples. Toss to combine and finish to salt and pepper to taste. Eat hot or cold.

The butternut squash gives the quinoa a nice Autumnal flavor, while the kale provides a more vegetable flavor and the apple give it nice tartness and a crunch. This would be good with a nice pork chop and grilled vegetables. But we had it with some pulled pork and a salad. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan