Quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts

This quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts is a filling vegetarian dinner that’s topped with dried cranberries and balsamic vinegar for a warm, hearty bowl of delicious!

So our first time family camping this past weekend...

Was. Freaking. Amazing!

The kids were wonderful - with the hiking, with the cooking, with the sleeping (more or less) and it had been so long, I was just so happy to be outside all day and night and to eat by the campfire.

Some of my favorite moments:

1. Watching the kids help collect little twigs and branches for the fire with my husband.
2. Seeing the kids hike and explore on the open mountain face on the trail we went on.
3. Buying a rainbow kite for them and seeing them run all over the campsite to get it to fly.
4. Having M cook the breakfast sausages over an open fire and being so proud of herself for making our food. So sweet! 
5. And of course, having a few quiet moments with my husband in front of the fire at the end of the night, snuggling to stay warm. ❤️

We really had the BEST time and I just can't wait to go again!

But on to the fun food for today.

Roasted winter vegetables with balsamic vinegar get me every time. ❤️

So I made a meatless Monday meal out of them with this quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts!

I added some quinoa for protein, some dried cranberries for a touch of tart sweetness and voila - you’ve got some cozy fall or winter goodness through and through!

These quinoa bowls are vegetarian and vegan as is, as well as gluten-free, and they are plenty hearty, too.

But you could certainly add some Parmesan cheese on top or even some sliced roasted chicken if you want to round them out some more. Works especially well for husbands, in my experience.

Plus the colors here are just gorgeous - the jewel-toned roasted squash and dried cranberries along with the the dark green Brussels sprouts… swoon!

And if you think this is just some random stuff thrown in a bowl, well, you’d be partly right.

But the balsamic vinegar (or you can use a balsamic vinaigrette) really tied all this goodness together and makes it a cohesive little power bowl.

Notes on making quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts:

• To make this efficient, I start the butternut squash in the oven first, since it takes the longest, then I prep and add the Brussels sprouts and put them in the oven to roast too and then cook the quinoa. Everything is ready at the same time!
• You can substitute sweet potato for the butternut squash if you’d rather.
• And/or you can switch out the quinoa for farro or some brown or wild rice, if you prefer.
• You can omit or adjust the red pepper flakes to suit your desired level of heat. As written, it’s not spicy at all, just has a hint of background heat.
• As I mentioned, you can add Parmesan cheese or grilled chicken to these bowls if you don’t need them to be vegetarian or vegan.
• You could also top them with some slivered almonds or pine nuts.
• I use about a tablespoon of just balsamic vinegar for each bowl but you can adjust the amount to suit your tastes. You could also substitute a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Basically, make it your own! (I’m always saying that, aren’t I?!)

But when you want a warm, cozy bowl of goodness to fill you up and not weigh you down, this is your meal!

Have a wonderful week!

XO,
Kathryn

P.S. Love a hearty vegetarian meal? Me too! Check out my southwestern vegetarian quinoa skillet, kale and butternut squash mac and cheese, and my one-pot vegetarian spaghetti.

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Quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts

This quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts is a warm, cozy and filling vegetarian dinner!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 (1 lb.) bag of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, if large
• 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries, divided
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, divided (see notes)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Prepare the butternut squash by cutting off the ends, peeling the skin and scooping out seeds. Cut the squash in ½-inch pieces. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with half of the salt and pepper.
• Roast squash at 400 for 35 minutes, stirring once.
• Meanwhile, prep the Brussels sprouts and place on a second sheet pan. Season with remaining two teaspoons olive oil and remaining salt and pepper and red pepper flakes, if using.
• Roast the Brussels sprouts at 400 for 20 minutes. (I stir the squash when I add the pan of Brussels sprouts to the oven.)
• While the vegetables are roasting, cook the quinoa according to package directions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Assemble the bowls: divide the quinoa, squash and Brussels sprouts among 4 bowls. Top each with 1 ½ tablespoons dried cranberries and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Notes

You can substitute sweet potato for the butternut squash if you’d like.

And/or you can switch out the quinoa for farro or some brown or wild rice, if you prefer.

You can omit or adjust the red pepper flakes to suit your desired level of heat. As written, it’s not spicy at all, just has a hint of background heat.

You can add Parmesan cheese or grilled chicken to these bowls if you don’t need them to be vegetarian or vegan.

You could also top with some slivered almonds or pine nuts.

I use about a tablespoon of just balsamic vinegar for each of my bowls but you can adjust the amount to suit your tastes. You could also substitute a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 415mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g

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